Did you happen to receive a speeding ticket in New York between April 17 and April 24? Well, if so, you’re not alone. In fact, your ticket(s) is among 24,354 others that were issued during New York’s so-called “Speed Week.”
This is 2,156 more tickets than last year’s “Speed Week,” and there’s every reason to think that police are aiming to increase these numbers every year. A similar operation, dubbed “Operation Hang Up,” yielded 3,472 tickets for cell phone-related driving infractions, such as talking on a cell phone while driving and texting while driving.
And for New York City in particular, the ticket blitzes continue. This month saw at least 3: two targeting speeding and one targeting “distracted drivers,” the nickname for people who talk or text while driving. The increasing frequency of so-called ticket blitzes is part of Mayor De Blasio’s “Vision Zero” plan to eliminate traffic deaths in the City by 2024.
In addition to the blitzes, the NYPD have numerous other weapons in their Vision Zero arsenal. For instance, they have purchased 200 more radar guns and installed about 120 more cameras in school speed zones. More recently, they have announced plans to install more cameras in work/construction zones throughout the city, particularly targeting motorists for reckless driving, a misdemeanor crime in New York, meaning it carries potential jail time.
Speeding and distracted driving tickets can come with serious consequences in terms of not only fines and points on your driving record but also auto insurance premium rate increases. These insurance rate increases can be long-term, lasting three years or even more.
We at the Rosenblum Law Firm have successfully fought thousands of traffic tickets throughout the past ten years. We’re here to fight for you. For more information on how we can handle your case, call our office at 1-888-815-3649.