“The men and women who maintain our highways and respond to emergencies place their trust in every passing driver,” Thruway Authority Executive Director Frank G. Hoare, Esq., said. “This campaign delivers a simple but powerful message: slow down, move over and stay focused. A moment of distraction can have life changing consequences. I want to thank Governor Hochul and our partners at the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee for their support of this important initiative, which reminds drivers that behind every work zone, maintenance vehicle and roadside response is a person counting on them to make safe, responsible decisions.”

The campaign comes amid an increase in Move Over Law violations and roadway incidents involving highway workers. In 2024, two Thruway Authority maintenance employees were killed and another was critically injured in separate incidents involving motorists who failed to move over. In 2025, there were 228 crashes resulting in 28 injuries in Thruway work zones, the highest number since 2020.

Under New York State’s Move Over Law, motorists are required to slow down and move over when approaching any stopped vehicle, including emergency vehicles, highway maintenance vehicles, tow trucks and other vehicles displaying emergency or hazard lights, when it is safe to do so. In 2024, Governor Hochul signed legislation expanding the Move Over Law to include all stopped vehicles.

The new public service announcement features Thruway Authority employees and underscores the human impact of unsafe driving while encouraging motorists to eliminate distractions, remain alert and follow the law whenever they encounter vehicles stopped along the roadway.

Christian Jackstadt, acting commissioner of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles and chair of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, said, “Governor Hochul has made it a priority to protect those New Yorkers who maintain our highways to ensure they make it home to their families and loved ones. This campaign sends a vitally important message, and the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee is proud to support our safety partners at the Thruway Authority. Our road crews have lost their colleagues to avoidable work zone crashes, so please slow down, obey all directives, avoid distractions and let everyone get home safely at the end of the day.”

New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “The theme ‘They Trust You’ is a simple yet effective reminder that the women and men who work on our roadways rely on motorists to make smart choices when traveling through work zones or encountering emergency response situations. Those choices are clear: slow down, obey the posted work zone speed limit, stay alert, put the phone down and move over. These choices are not optional. They are the law. The New York State Police is committed to enforcing the law and holding accountable those who disobey work zone speed limits, drive distracted or fail to obey the Move Over Law. We will continue safeguarding workers, emergency personnel and motorists from dangerous driving.”

The campaign targets drivers of all ages, with particular emphasis on younger motorists, who are statistically more likely to engage in distracted driving behaviors such as texting, looking at their cell phones, changing the radio station, or eating and drinking while driving. In addition to the public service announcement, educational materials will be distributed through Thruway service areas and partner organizations throughout the state.

The “They Trust You” campaign supports ongoing efforts by the Thruway Authority, the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, New York State Police Troop T and other transportation agencies to improve compliance with the Move Over Law and reduce preventable crashes and fatalities.