If you have plans on taking a road trip or just being out on the roads in New York state, make sure you are not speeding. Today is the beginning of Speed Awareness Week. According to News10ABC, New York State Police and law enforcement across the Capital Region will be increasing patrols and pulling over vehicles that are speeding starting today. Speed Awareness Week runs August 6th through August 12th.

Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that

“Speed limits are not a suggestion, they are the law and they save lives. “There is no excuse for driving at high speeds – it’s unnecessary and endangers everyone on the road — and I urge New Yorkers to be smart and slow down because it’s not worth risking lives to save a few seconds on your next commute or trip to the store.”

The Governor's Traffic Safety committee wants to stop speeding and in turn prevent unnecessary accidents that are caused by traveling at unsafe speeds. There will also be a "No Excuses" public service announcement that will run as a TV ad campaign statewide that illustrates the penalties attached to speeding. Signs will be displayed on highways that also alert New Yorkers about the dangers of speeding.

Traffic accidents that result in death due to speeding are higher in the summer months. The highest fatalities occur between June to September. More than one-third of the accidents are because of driving at high rates of speed.

There is no reason to speed. It may get you there a bit faster, but if you obey the speed limit signs, you will most likely arrive alive.

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