NY- mc safety enforcement 2011

[karen]

NYS Governor's Traffic Safety Committee
FFY 2011 Grants Awarded

PDF 29 pages: http://www.nysgtsc.state.ny.us/HS-Fo...ts-Publish.pdf

Grants awarded for:
Impaired Driving, "Buckle Up NY, Community Program, Child Passenger Safety, Pedestrian/Bicycle Safety, Roadway Safety, School Bus Safety, Selective Traffic Enforcement, Motorcycle Safety, Occupant Protection, Planning and Administration, Traffic Records.

Motorcycle Safety ONLY:

Herkimer Village Police Department -- MC -- Program -- $7,200

Ontario County Sheriff's Office -- MC -- Motorcycle Safety Traffic  Initiative-- $7,600

Suffolk County Police Department -- MC -- Motorcycle Safety Enforcement and Education 2011-- $30,500

Warren County Sheriff's Office -- MC -- Motorcycle Safety Initiative -- $28,800

NYS Department of Motor Vehicles -- MC -- Motorcycle Safety Awareness and Training --$22,150

New York State Police -- MC -- Initiative -- $167,395
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RECAP:

NEW YORK STATE HIGHWAY SAFETY STRATEGIC PLAN FFY 2011
PDF 90 pages:
http://www.nysgtsc.state.ny.us/HSSP/2011HSSP.pdf

Full section on Motorcycle Safety:
Pages 31- 38:

Information on "motorcycle only checkpoints" ONLY:

A new law enforcement training initiative was also undertaken in the past year. The New York State Police and the Law Enforcement Liaisons from the NYS Association of Chiefs of Police and the NYS Sheriffs’ Association with assistance from DMV’s MSP presented regional motorcycle safety training programs for law enforcement officers. More than 250 law enforcement officers and motorcycle safety advocates attended these programs which were held at eight locations around the state. The hands-on instruction provided officers, especially those assigned to patrol duties, with the knowledge and skills to educate motorcyclists and the public on motorcycle safety and to enhance enforcement efforts in New York State.

In the coming year, the GTSC will continue to coordinate, support and administer enforcement initiatives and education and awareness programs that are key components of New York’s comprehensive motorcycle safety program. These initiatives augment the MSP and enhance New York’s efforts to reduce motorcycle crashes, fatalities and injuries.

Enforcement

Motorcycle Enforcement Checkpoints

Motorcycle safety checkpoints will be deployed in strategic locations to check for license and registration violations, non-compliant helmets, faulty or illegal equipment and other violations. Variable message signs and other methods including aerial enforcement may be used to ensure mandatory compliance with the checkpoint. The checkpoints may also be used in conjunction with PI&E and research initiatives.

Officer Training and Local Enforcement

Police officer training on motorcycle enforcement issues and techniques will be conducted. The training will focus on safety violations such as unapproved helmets, equipment violations such as tires and lighting, and altered motorcycles, especially those with loud exhaust systems. Trained officers will be deployed to enforce these laws and issue tickets to violators.

Motorcycle Enforcement Training

The New York State Police and the Law Enforcement Liaison from the NYS Association of Chiefs of Police will again partner in presenting the Practical Guidelines for Motorcycle Enforcement training program. This innovative and specialized training curriculum was designed to present practical and comprehensive information on motorcycle safety and motorcycle laws. The hands-on instruction provides officers, especially those assigned to patrol duties, with the knowledge and skills to educate motorcyclists and the public on motorcycle safety and to also enhance the enforcement of motorcycle laws in New York State. In addition to law enforcement, instructors from the MSF and other traffic safety partners will benefit from this training. The training program is supported by the GTSC and the MSP.
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[karen]

NOTE: NY has changed their "motorcycle safety and awareness" month to June -when the roadblocks started. Expect other counties to do roadblocks.

NEW YORK NEWS

NOTE: June-motorcycle safety/helmet

Onondaga County police agencies targeting poor drivers | syracuse.com

Onondaga County police agencies targeting poor drivers
Published: Thursday, February 24, 2011, 10:35 AM
Updated: Thursday, February 24, 2011, 2:25 PM
By Charley Hannagan / The Post-Standard

DeWitt, NY – Police agencies in Onondaga County are taking a different tack this year in their annual attack on poor driving habits.

Instead of targeting a specific highway, police all over the county will focus on a specific violation. A new violation will be targeted each month.

The goal of the campaign by the Onondaga County Traffic Safety Advisory Board is to protect drivers from hurting themselves and others, said Baldwinsville Police Chief Michael W. Lefancheck, chairman of the Onondaga County Chapter of Chiefs of Police.

“We still have too many crashes and too many deaths from aggressive driving,” he said.

This year the board has the cooperation of all of the county’s police agencies -- including towns and villages, sheriff’s deputies, and state police -- to target enforcement of the same violations at the same time.

Officers are being asked to have zero tolerance policy for the violations, and what may have been a warning will now be a ticket, Lefancheck said.

The enforcement campaign kicks off March 1, and its first focus is window tint.

By law, vehicle windows must allow in 70 percent of the light, Lefancheck said.

Officers looking into a vehicle can’t see inside if the tint is any darker, leaving them vulnerable to passengers who may be hiding guns, he said.

Tinting from the factory passes the state standards, but anything more than that is illegal, Lefancheck said.

Drivers who violate the law will be given a ticket, and if they remove the tinting the ticket is routinely dismissed, he said.

Police hope that by concentrating on a violation a month that they’ll be able to change the public’s driving habits. That’s what has happened with the Buckle Up New York campaign held every May and November, Lefancheck said.

When it first started, Baldwinsville police wrote 75 to 100 tickets in two hours to drivers who didn’t use their seat belts, he said. A few years later, the village police at check points write more tickets for other violations than for the lack of seat belts, the chief said.

Here's a list of the violations and the months they'll be targeted:

* March-window tint
* April-cell phone/texting
* May-seat belt/child restraint
* June-motorcycle safety/helmet
* July-speed/move over a safe distance for stopped police cars
* Aug.-stop sign/pedestrian/crosswalk safety
* Sept.-school zone speed/passed school buses
* Oct.-cell phone/texting
* Nov.-seatbelt/child restraint
* Dec.-impaired driving

[roadogette]

Every month should be cell phone/texting and impaired driving. Now in NY it's 2 points on your license for cell phone use.

[karen]

""It's so easy to pick out," said Lt. Jim Halvorsen. "Law enforcement across the state have been trained on how to pick out the Illegal or novelty helmet."

Halvorsen promises that fines that also carry a hefty surcharge will be handed out to riders without the proper helmet. But drivers also play a huge part in avoiding a wreck."
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Deadly month for motorcyclists brings a warning - YNN, Your News Now

Deadly month for motorcyclists brings a warning

Tue 6/21/2011
By: Lori Chung

With eight deadly motorcycle accidents this month alone, the start of the summer season brings a warning for drivers and riders heading for the roads. Our Lori Chung has more on what police what you to do.

ALBANY, N.Y. -- You'll probably hear motorcycles rumbling on the roads in the next few weeks as warmer weather beckons folks looking for adventure to the roads. Now there's an effort to help them dodge the danger that could be posed by regular drivers.

"We have seen fatalities and crashes and education is a huge part of making our roads more safe," said Barbara Fiala, Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles.

There have been eight fatal motorcycle accidents across the state in June alone. DMV officials say that's why they've teamed up with State Police, the DOT and motorcycle safety advocates for an initiative for cautious cruising, warning against activities like driving or riding under the influence, distracted driving and wearing the wrong head gear.

"It's so easy to pick out," said Lt. Jim Halvorsen. "Law enforcement across the state have been trained on how to pick out the Illegal or novelty helmet."

Halvorsen promises that fines that also carry a hefty surcharge will be handed out to riders without the proper helmet. But drivers also play a huge part in avoiding a wreck.

"When a driver turns left in front of us, they present the passenger side and it really offers us no opportunity to escape," said Lt. Halvorsen.

And officials say because bikers are 37 times more likely to die in a crash like that than someone behind the wheel, the summer is a good time for both drivers and bikers to brush up on their road skills.

"[It's] time to reeducate, so whether or not you're new to a motorcycle or riding for awhile, it's time to refresh," said Fiala.

Officials say another obstacle for motorcyclists this season will be the increase in road construction projects. That's just one of the reasons why bikers and drivers may be served by signing up for a refresher course.