This is an initiative between law enforcement entities, the New York State Department of Transportation and the New York State Thruway Authority, to crack down on work zone violations and highlight the importance of safe driving when encountering construction, maintenance and emergency operations along state highways.
Operation Hardhat details were held in almost every region of New York State in support of National Work Zone Awareness Week, which took place from April 26 to April 30.
The enforcement and educational efforts come as New York State continues to experience a rising number of work zone intrusions, including three recent crashes that injured six highway workers just last week.
During Operation Hardhat, members of law enforcement patrol Department of Transportation and Thruway Authority work zones to enforce work zone speed limits and ensure that motorists are obeying flagging personnel.
The New York State Police conducted the majority of the Operation Hardhat details across the state.
The Oneida County Sheriff's Office partnered with the State Department of Transportation during the week to stage a detail at a work zone near Kirkland, issuing 17 tickets. Earlier, on April 13, the State Police also held an Operation Hardhat detail along Interstate 490 in Monroe County, in the Finger Lakes Region, that resulted in 41 tickets being issued, including 19 for speeding.
Under "Operation Hardhat," police officers are present within the work zones, dressed as highway maintenance workers, to identify motorists who are distracted by electronic devices while driving, disobey flagging personnel, speed through the work zone or violate the state's Move Over Law, which applies to both emergency and maintenance vehicles. Additional details will be held throughout the construction season.
The 444 tickets issued during Operation Hardhat last week included the following violations:
Speeding - 81
Seatbelts - 41
Cell Phone - 135
Failure to Move Over - 47
Failure to Obey Traffic Control Device - 1 Other violations - 139
Operation Hardhat details resulted in violations in almost every region of the state, including:
Hudson Valley - 161
Long Island - 59
Capital Region - 53
Central New York - 46
Southern Tier - 44
Mohawk Valley - 37
Western New York - 26
North Country - 18 ■