Deputy Brian Thompson e-mailed this reminder for drivers to slow down and be mindful of road conditions:
Please remember to drive with headlights on in inclement weather. Especially fog and rain. Conditions for black ice and hydroplaning are peaked right now. Please slow down and don't use cell phones or text message. Keep eyes on the road, reduce speeds and increase following distances. The life you save may be your own. Thanks! NY State VTL 375 2a1 is applicable.
The vehicle and traffic law mentioned by Deputy Thompson refers to having two working headlights.
Headlights are required a half-hour before sunset (today, at about 4 p.m.) through a half-hour after sunrise (tomorrow, that will be about 8 a.m.), and any time conditions require windshield wipers.
I've driven everywhere from
I've driven everywhere from Texas to Maine, Southern California to Alaska, almost every state in between and extensively in Canada. I would like to see headlights on at all times and choose to do so, myself.
It seems as though traffic enforcement is concentrated on speeders. Vehicle visibility in my opinion is a larger factor in accident prevention.
Often during times of snowfall, rain, fog or low light conditions I see drivers traveling with their headlights off. I've even a trooper in Canandaigua violating this traffic infraction. It was pouring, the trooper and everyone else had to use their wipers but the trooper had no headlights.
I'd like to remind troopers, sheriffs and local police that the public sees what you do every day. Set the example if you're going to enforce.
To the trooper who got on the thruway in Buffalo (can't remember the date) and drove in excess of 95 MPH to the Henrietta exit (Yes, I kept up with you and kept you in sight), thanks for clearing the way for me but also remember that you get a free pass, but not really. People aren't stupid and they see you slide lights, speed, lane drift..etc. They see you do everything that you hold everyone else accountable for. Please don't use the excuse that you were on the way to a call every time.
To the Fairport fire Marshall traveling west on 490 from Rochester to the Le Roy thruway entrance at 85 MPH on 12/15/2010 at about 4pm, thanks for clearing the way for me, also. Could you please refrain from tailgating, though? You were 2' away from me at one point and then I witnessed you tailgating several other vehicles. Aggressive driving really bothers me, speeding doesn't.