By JON CAMPBELL
Albany Bureau
ALBANY -- State Police doled out 816 texting-while-driving tickets during a holiday blitz last week, according to Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office.
About 330 of the violations were spotted through a beefed-up enforcement campaign funded with a national grant, Cuomo's office said. The remaining tickets were spotted by regular police patrols.
All of the tickets were issued between Nov. 23 and Nov. 27.
"The more than 800 tickets issued in just five days further demonstrates the need for these stricter laws which focus on drivers who put others at risk by illegally using a hand-held device," Cuomo said in a statement. "I thank the State Police and local law enforcement agencies for cracking down on distracted driving during the holiday weekend to help protect New Yorkers and keep our highways safe."
There was no immediate breakdown of which parts of the state saw the most violations.
In June, the state Legislature enacted a tougher texting-while-driving law, making the violation a primary offense and bumping the penalty up to a fine of $150 and three points on the violator's driver license. The law was signed in July.
Since then, violations have skyrocketed. From July through mid-September of this year, the number of tickets issued outpaced all of 2010 by 43 percent statewide and 73 percent outside of New York City.
"Using a hand-held device while operating a motor vehicle is illegal, and through future enforcement campaigns we will continue to make sure our roadways are safe for all New Yorkers," state DMV Commissioner Barbara Fiala said in a statement.
Gannett