{"id":74048,"date":"2026-04-07T18:24:32","date_gmt":"2026-04-07T22:24:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/?p=74048"},"modified":"2026-04-07T18:24:32","modified_gmt":"2026-04-07T22:24:32","slug":"new-york-state-police-announce-put-the-phone-away-or-pay-distracted-driving-enforcement-campaign","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2026\/04\/07\/new-york-state-police-announce-put-the-phone-away-or-pay-distracted-driving-enforcement-campaign\/","title":{"rendered":"New York State Police announce, \u201cPut the Phone Away or Pay\u201d Distracted Driving Enforcement Campaign"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"138\" height=\"138\" data-attachment-id=\"74049\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2026\/04\/07\/new-york-state-police-announce-put-the-phone-away-or-pay-distracted-driving-enforcement-campaign\/nysp_crest-2\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/NYSP_crest.png?fit=138%2C138&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"138,138\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-title=\"NYSP_crest\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/NYSP_crest.png?fit=138%2C138&amp;ssl=1\" loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/NYSP_crest.png?resize=138%2C138&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-74049\" style=\"width:333px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Press release<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The New York State Police will participate in a national distracted driving enforcement campaign as part of April\u2019s National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. The enforcement effort, known as \u201cPut the Phone Away or Pay,\u201d will run from Monday, April 6, 2026, through Monday, April 13, 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During this campaign, Troopers will conduct targeted enforcement details focused on drivers using electronic devices while operating a motor vehicle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Troopers will utilize both marked State Police vehicles and Concealed Identity Traffic Enforcement (CITE) vehicles. These specialized vehicles allow Troopers to better observe violations from an elevated vantage point. While CITE vehicles blend into everyday traffic, they are clearly identifiable as emergency vehicles when emergency lighting is activated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), over 3,200 people were killed in distraction-affected crashes in the United States in 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During the April 2025 \u201cPut the Phone Away or Pay\u201d campaign, New York State Troopers issued 22,867 tickets, including 4,607 for distracted driving violations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">To help prevent crashes and save lives, NHTSA recommends the following safety tips for motorists:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If you must send or receive a text, pull over to a safe location and park your vehicle first<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If you have passengers, appoint a \u201cdesignated texter\u201d to handle communications<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>If you are prone to distraction, keep your phone out of reach<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">New York State law includes the following penalties for distracted driving:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>First offense: fine ranging from $50 to $200<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Second offense within 18 months: fine up to $250<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Third or subsequent offense within 18 months: fine up to $450<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Probationary and junior drivers face a 120-day license suspension for a first offense, and a one-year revocation if a second offense is committed within six months<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Distracted driving remains a leading cause of preventable crashes on New York\u2019s roadways. The New York State Police urge all motorists to remain focused behind the wheel and make responsible decisions to protect themselves and others.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Press release The New York State Police will participate in a national distracted driving enforcement campaign as part of April\u2019s National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. The enforcement effort, known as \u201cPut the Phone Away or Pay,\u201d will run from Monday, April 6, 2026, through Monday, April 13, 2026. During this \u2026<\/p>\n<p class=\"continue-reading-button\"> <a class=\"continue-reading-link\" href=\"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2026\/04\/07\/new-york-state-police-announce-put-the-phone-away-or-pay-distracted-driving-enforcement-campaign\/\">Continue reading<i class=\"crycon-right-dir\"><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":74049,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[716],"tags":[338],"class_list":["post-74048","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nys","tag-state-police"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8eTP4-jgk","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":63438,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2025\/04\/07\/nys-state-police-announce-crackdown-on-distracted-driving\/","url_meta":{"origin":74048,"position":0},"title":"NYS\/State Police announce crackdown on distracted driving","author":"aka","date":"April 7, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Press Release The New York State Police will participate in a national crackdown on distracted driving as part of April\u2019s National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. The enforcement effort, called Operation Hang Up, will include increased patrols and checkpoints targeting drivers using electronic devices while behind the wheel.\u00a0This year\u2019s enforcement detail\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;NYS&quot;","block_context":{"text":"NYS","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/nys\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":74477,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2026\/04\/21\/nys-new-york-state-police-announce-no-empty-chair-teen-driver-safety-campaign\/","url_meta":{"origin":74048,"position":1},"title":"NYS\/New York State Police announce \u201cNo Empty Chair\u201d Teen Driver Safety Campaign","author":"aka","date":"April 21, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Press release The New York State Police will participate in a statewide, multi-agency traffic safety campaign focused on reducing crashes involving teen drivers. Each year, communities across New York State experience tragic losses of high school students in traffic crashes leading up to graduation. In an effort to reduce these\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;NYS&quot;","block_context":{"text":"NYS","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/nys\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":31597,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2022\/04\/04\/nys-police-announce-crackdown-on-distracted-driving\/","url_meta":{"origin":74048,"position":2},"title":"NYS Police announce crackdown on distracted driving","author":"aka","date":"April 4, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"PRESS RELEASE The New York State Police will participate in a national crackdown on distracted driving as part of April\u2019s National Distracted Driving Awareness Month. The enforcement effort, called Operation Hang Up, will include increased patrols and checkpoints targeting drivers using electronic devices while behind the wheel. This year\u2019s enforcement\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;NYS&quot;","block_context":{"text":"NYS","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/nys\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/OFFICIAL-NYSP-Logo-2012.jpeg?fit=400%2C400&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":75652,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2026\/05\/29\/nys-police-issue-more-than-11000-tickets-during-memorial-day-weekend-enforcement-period\/","url_meta":{"origin":74048,"position":3},"title":"NYS Police issue more than 11,000 tickets during Memorial Day Weekend enforcement period","author":"aka","date":"May 29, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Press release The New York State Police today announced that it issued a total of 11,104 tickets statewide during the Memorial Day Weekend enforcement campaign.\u00a0 The special enforcement period began on Friday, May 22, 2026, and ran through Monday, May 25, 2026. During the campaign, which was partially funded by\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;NY&quot;","block_context":{"text":"NY","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/ny\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":17458,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2020\/06\/09\/nys-police-speed-week-enforcement-starts-june-11\/","url_meta":{"origin":74048,"position":4},"title":"NYS Police\/Speed Week enforcement starts June 11","author":"aka","date":"June 9, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"PRESS RELEASE The New York State Police will target speeding and aggressive drivers during a special weeklong traffic enforcement initiative. This year\u2019s \u201cSpeed Week\u201d enforcement campaign starts Thursday, June 11, 2020 and runs through Wednesday, June 17, 2020. Troopers will also actively patrol highway work zones and will target drivers\u2026","rel":"","context":"Similar post","block_context":{"text":"Similar post","link":""},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":29471,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2021\/12\/03\/nys-new-york-state-police-arrested-183-people-for-impaired-driving-over-the-thanksgiving-holiday\/","url_meta":{"origin":74048,"position":5},"title":"NYS\/New York State Police arrested 183 people for impaired driving over the Thanksgiving holiday","author":"aka","date":"December 3, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"PRESS\u00a0RELEASE\u00a0 The New York State Police today announced that it issued a total of 12,975 tickets statewide during this year\u2019s special Thanksgiving holiday traffic enforcement period. The Thanksgiving enforcement period began on Wednesday, November 24 and continued through Sunday, November 28, 2021. During the campaign, which was funded by the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;NYS&quot;","block_context":{"text":"NYS","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/nys\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/OFFICIAL-NYSP-Logo-2012.jpeg?fit=400%2C400&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/NYSP_crest.png?fit=138%2C138&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74048","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=74048"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74048\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":74051,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74048\/revisions\/74051"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/74049"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=74048"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=74048"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=74048"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}