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Bronx Politics and Community events
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Governor Hochul: "Take it from someone who lived on the shores of Lake Erie during winter blizzard, it is all about the wind factor. It affects visibility. It is dangerous to be on roads when you can't see the vehicles around you. And common sense has to prevail here. I'm asking people to take heed of those warnings."
Hochul: "I'm taking the step at this time to announce that beginning 8:00 PM tonight will be under a State of Emergency. And what that does is it gives us the extraordinary powers that we may need for additional purchasing of equipment or transferring individuals, personnel."
Hochul: "People who are vaccinated and boosted did not end up in the hospitals with Omicron, they may have had symptoms, stayed home for the five days that they tested positive, but our hospitalizations are still, the vast majority, are people who are unvaccinated. And our kids are going to be sick if we don't get them vaccinated, so let's make sure that that happens as well. Let's give all the kids the protection they need to be able to stay in school and stay safe."
Hochul: "We still don't know much beyond where we are right now, but again, the trend is much more positive. And that is why I want to talk about the fact that we'll have a temporary extension of our business mask or vaccine policy. And that has been a critical tool in driving those numbers down...I want to thank all the businesses and the people who follow these policies. You are the reason our state is going to come out of this far sooner than other states."
Governor Hochul: Not just the 8.2 million New York City residents, but also 20 million people from the state of New York. It's been a heartbreaking day and I wanted to stay and show my respect as the procession left with the Mayor and the Chief of Police, and now the Commissioner. So that delayed us a little bit, but thank you for coming here today and just continue to keep them in our prayers and all of those who are on the front lines, protecting our safety. It's incredible to realize what they are willing to do every single day to make sure that New Yorkers are protected and safe. And for them, we are eternally grateful and our hearts go out to the families of officer Rivera who he had his final call today, as well as the funeral we're going to be attending next Wednesday, officer Mora. So it's a difficult day for all of New York.
And also we have a little bit of challenge before us. I just told the County Executive, I said, what's with Suffolk? I thought Buffalo had the most unusual weather patterns, and it seems like you're always on the front line lately. So, it's fascinating. And those who love to study weather like my Commissioner here, this is an exciting time for you. Commissioner Bray, our Commissioner of Homeland Security and Emergency Services was once the Chief of Staff of the national weather service in Washington. So she gets very excited on days like this. So unlike the rest of us who dread it, she looks forward to it.
So, we're going to look at some numbers on the storm, and I want to make sure you have a full briefing on what we're doing in anticipation of this storm, because storms can be devastating. They can be deadly, they can be dangerous. And we are on call right now with the warning we've seen coming up the East coast and this confluence of an incredible storm. It's calling us to be prepared and I want you to see what preparation looks and feels like. And you'll hear from the people who are on the front lines.
And I want to thank the members of the DOT who are here and the others who'll be out there driving the plows and really putting themselves in harm's way to make sure that we can get home from our commutes, make sure we can get home to our families. And I'm going to ask everybody to do their part in helping keep our roads clear this evening. So, I am joined by Commissioner Jackie Bray, our Commissioner, as I just identified her. Therese Dominguez, Commissioner of Department of Transportation. We've been at events like this from Buffalo to Albany, here in Suffolk County. So she is a seasoned pro, I feel very comfortable with her leadership.
And Janno Lieber, because we're going to be talking about the impact on the MTA, the newly named, the permanent, no longer acting, but the Chair and CEO of the Metropolitan Transit Authority. Also, we have Phillip Eng, who's the president of the MTA Long Island Rail Road, which is an important lifeline for our commuters here on Long Island so he's here as well. And Steve Vallone, our County Executive, who you'll be hearing from about the county's preparation.
So let's take a look at what we're doing here. These are the maps that we wake up and dread when we see them in the morning news. The orange is the blizzard warning. So there you go. It's coming our way. We've not seen any deviation from what we're seeing here. Sometimes you hope that it goes further out East and actually dissipates over the ocean, but I don't foresee that tonight. So what we're expecting is hopefully that doesn't really hit during the commute this evening.
We're tracking the timing of this, but we do believe that the highest totals would be coming tomorrow, which is actually given that it's a Saturday morning, it's very good, given that it could have happened during prime commuting hours tonight or even this morning. But the point is, we're on notice and so there's no excuses. People should not be on the roads unnecessarily. And we have that evidence right here. So we have been upgrading the wizard warning.
Suffolk County is under a blizzard warning right now. And the storm effect is in effect now until seven o'clock Saturday, and then it gets even worse. Here it's going to be Nassau, New York City, Westchester, Putnam and Rocklin County. So that's what we're looking at. And we think Long Island is going to be one of the hardest hit. So, 10 to 16 inches across Long Island. And it also comes down - if that happens over a course of a few days, you can handle it. It happens in a few hours, one to two to three inches an hour, that's when it becomes very treacherous.
So, we could end up with anywhere from six inches to two feet, but it's also the wind. Take it from someone who lived on the shores of Lake Erie during winter blizzard, it is all about the wind factor. It affects visibility. It is dangerous to be on roads when you can't see the vehicles around you. And common sense has to prevail here. I'm asking people to take heed of those warnings. We'll have sustained winds of 25 to 35 miles an hour with gusts. So this is where it really gets dangerous, when it's a complete white out condition and you do not want to be in your vehicle with your kids in the backseat and go off the road during those conditions and that's what can happen.
So, 50 to 55 mile an hour winds. We do not want to see the circumstance we saw in the Washington DC area. Everybody was glued to their television, watching the 30-some hour episode where people are stranded in their vehicles and that, my friends, is totally avoidable. That's what we're talking about here right now and the preparation we need to have. New York City and the lower Hudson Valley are getting lower predictions, but they're still going to get a good amount of snow. So we're preparing those areas as well, and they'll be getting lesser amounts through the next day.
So these regions, northern regions, minimal snow, but it'll be very cold and that cold is dangerous. It can be bitter. It can be dangerous, especially if you're in a vehicle. You go off the road or you're stuck in traffic and your gas is low - make sure you fill up your gas tanks - the gas is low, and all of a sudden you don't have anything, any heat in the vehicle, and your kids are hungry. Believe me, speaking from experience, I've been there. It is not a good experience at all. So watch out for the wind-chill factor as well. So, that's really significant.
So, heavy snow, gusty winds, difficult road conditions. So, yes, I feel like a weather person today and I'm willing to turn it over to our experts in a couple of minutes, but here's what I'm asking, New Yorkers. Just stay off the roads. Get through your workday today, fill up the gas tanks on your way home, make sure you've got all the necessary items in your vehicle. You got to have the scrapers, got to have extra gloves. You've got to get some blankets, have some water in your vehicles. And we all should be prepared for this, but the best way to handle this is stay home.
A famous mayor of Buffalo once said how to handle the blizzard - sit home with a six pack of beer and wait it out. So you could have a nice bottle of Long Island wine. I don't care what your preference is here, but stay home everybody.
We've been preparing for this since Wednesday. I feel we're as ready as we can be, but there's a lot of other dynamics at play here, including our utilities. The salting, getting our crews out, bringing people from other parts of the state to be ready, positioned in our key areas that have been identified already.
So, we're on notice. Everybody get home safely tonight and we'll get back and talk about our COVID report in a couple of minutes.
So, just so everyone knows that's how seriously we're taking it. 8:00 PM tonight. State of emergency here in the State of New York. And again, we are encouraging everyone to stay off the roads once the snow starts this evening and absolutely tomorrow, because otherwise you are complicating life for those who are out there trying to make your life easier.
So let's give them the room they need to do their jobs and make sure that we don't have anyone stranded. So as we talk about one storm well let's head into the next storm, and that is our Omicron storm, our winter surge that we kept talking about. And I think the winter snow clouds of Omicron are starting to part, that is a very good sign.
Our statewide cases went down about 13,592 to be exact. And that is down from January 7th. Not that long ago. Look how high it was, 90,000 cases. So we're keeping an eye on those numbers as well, but that is the trend we've been waiting for. It is arriving and I could not be happier to report this news.
Our seven day average is going down as well. Statewide, it's about 6.15%, but overall, again, this continues to drop as well, our positivity rate.
We've always watched our hospitalizations and luckily those are dropping from our high of 12,600 people hospitalized at the same time. And what a stress that put on our hospitals throughout the state. And yesterday we were down to 8,100, so we've dropped significantly more than 2,800 over the past week, but this is all a lagging indicator. We talk about infection start, you see the numbers spike there, people get sick, then hospitalizations. And sadly, we still see far too many deaths.
And yesterday we lost 171 fellow New Yorkers because of this pandemic. And I want to make sure that we're remembering them, but also, that is reminder, take this seriously until we are clearly out of this storm. And that is why as we talk about this, you know, we didn't know at the time when we put in our mask or vaccine requirement to protect people as this Omicron surge with spiking, it was spiraling out of control in the month of December, we did not, we could not have foreseen what January and February looked like.
We still don't know much beyond where we are right now, but again, the trend is much more positive. And that is why I want to talk about the fact that we'll have a temporary extension of our business mask or vaccine policy. And that has been a critical tool in driving those numbers down. They could be even more out of control, but we're going to continue doing this not by months, not by three months, we're going to do it every two weeks now. So we can be ready to suspend, give businesses the notice they've been waiting for. But again, I want to thank all the businesses and the people who follow these policies. You are the reason our state is going to come out of this far sooner than other states. The numbers are still going up in other states. And we've been smart here.
As we know, the school masking policy remains in effect, despite the fact that there was a little blip, but we are back on track legally. And I want to thank our Attorney General, Letitia James and her incredible team for understanding the urgency of us appealing a decision that came forth based on factors that we don't agree with. We happen to think that the Commissioner of Health and Department of Health have a responsibility to protect public health. That is why they do what they do. And we're going to continue to defend that in court. So the appellate decision, the second department, sided with us and let common sense prevail. So now we are back into ensuring that these are in place again for now. And the only reason we have this is because this is how we can keep our schools open.
When our schools are open and kids are safe there, moms and dads can get back to work. We can start that path to being normal and there'll come a time when we can talk about lifting this as well. We're just not there yet. We're going to continue keeping people safe and fighting to protect all New Yorkers. So just want to give those notices of what the lay of the land here is in the State of New York.
Cases Per 100k Continue to Decline Across All Regions
Statewide Hospitalizations Dropped by More Than 2,800 Over Past Week
171 COVID-19 Deaths Statewide Yesterday
Governor Kathy Hochul today updated New Yorkers on the state's progress combating COVID-19.
“New Yorkers are doing what is necessary to combat the spread of COVID-19 and the progress is evident in our numbers,” Governor Hochul said. “We cannot let our guard down, though, and those who have yet to get their vaccine, their second dose, or their booster shot should do so as soon as possible. It’s safe, effective, free, and widely available throughout the state. Keep your loved ones safe and healthy by utilizing the best tools at our disposal.”
Today's data is summarized briefly below:
The Health Electronic Response Data System is a NYS DOH data source that collects confirmed daily death data as reported by hospitals, nursing homes and adult care facilities only.
This daily COVID-19 provisional death certificate data reported by NYS DOH and NYC to the CDC includes those who died in any location, including hospitals, nursing homes, adult care facilities, at home, in hospice and other settings.
Defendant Will Be Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison in March; Video of Young Siblings Cowering from Gunshots Went Viral
Bronx District Attorney Darcel D. Clark today announced that an alleged gang member from Manhattan has pleaded guilty to Attempted Murder in the second-degree for shooting at a Bronx man as two children ran for their lives on a Mount Eden street in broad daylight.
District Attorney Clark said, “The defendant went up to a Bronx man and fired a dozen shots. A 13-year-old girl and her five-year-old brother on their way to a store were caught between the defendant and his target. Images of the helpless, terrified children, who held one another as the hail of bullets flew next to them, shocked the city and the world. The defendant has been held accountable for the horrendous shooting that injured the man and endangered the children. This plea will spare the children from testifying in court and reliving the trauma.”
District Attorney Clark said the defendant, Michael Lopez, 28, last of 1430 Amsterdam Avenue, Manhattan, pleaded guilty to Attempted Murder in the second degree today before Bronx Supreme Court Justice Ralph Fabrizio. The defendant will be sentenced to 15 years in prison and five years’ post-release supervision, with a waiver of right to appeal, on March 7, 2022.
According to the investigation, at 4:43 p.m. on June 17, 2021 near 1551 Sheridan Avenue, the defendant got off a scooter and chased a 24-year-old man up the block, firing at least 12 shots at him. Surveillance video of the incident shows Lopez’s target running into a 13-year-old girl and her five-year-old brother, knocking them to the ground. The defendant continued to fire shots at the man at close range next to the children as the girl shielded her brother. The man was struck once in the back and once in each leg, leaving him with nerve damage to his legs. He is still unable to walk and is undergoing treatment. The children and other innocent bystanders were not injured.
The defendant was arrested on June 25, 2021. During his plea appearance today, the defendant admitted he had a firearm and shot the man with the intent to kill him that day.
District Attorney Clark thanked NYPD Detective Curtis Cato of the 44th Precinct for his work in the investigation.
Winter Storm Warning in effect for New York City Friday evening through
According to the latest National Weather Service forecast, light snow will develop Friday evening, becoming steadier and heavier overnight into Saturday morning. Snow will continue through Saturday afternoon and begin to taper off in the late afternoon. A total of 8 to 12 inches of accumulation is expected with this event, with locally higher amounts possible. Temperatures will be in the low 20s to mid-teens with wind chills near or below zero from Saturday morning through mid-day Sunday. Wind gusts may also be as high as 50 mph with strong gusts continuing through Saturday night, producing low visibility due to drifting and blowing snow, even after snowfall has ended.
“We are working closely with the National Weather Service and key City agencies to monitor and coordinate the City’s preparations ahead of this storm,” said New York City
“New Yorkers may wake up tomorrow to find a significant overnight snowfall, with more to come throughout the day. The 10,000 employees of the Department of Sanitation will be working 12-hour shifts today and throughout the weekend to get the City moving again. Residents can help us by staying off the roads as much as possible so that our plows and salt spreaders can get through safely,” said New York City Department of Sanitation Commissioner Edward Grayson.
The City’s Sanitation Department has issued a “snow alert” beginning on Friday, January 28, at 4 p.m. The Sanitation Department is pre-deploying over 700 salt spreaders to pretreat roadways ahead of the first snowflake and is prepared to dispatch plows in all sectors when more than 2 inches of snow accumulates.
Safety Tips
· Stay off the roads as much as possible. If you must travel, use mass transit.
· If you must drive, drive slowly. Allow for extra travel time, and exercise caution when traveling. Use major streets or highways for travel whenever possible.
· Pedestrians should exercise caution and avoid slippery surfaces; some ice may not be visible. Wear sturdy boots that provide traction to reduce slipping. Use handrails when using stairs.
· Take care when walking on snow and ice, especially if you are an older adult. Seniors should take extra care outdoors to avoid slips and falls.
· Have heightened awareness of cars, particularly when approaching or crossing intersections.
· If you have to go outdoors, wear dry, warm clothing and cover exposed skin. Keep fingertips, earlobes, and noses covered. Wear a hat, hood, scarf, and gloves. Stay alert for signs of hypothermia, like intense shivering or dizziness, and anyone who experiences these symptoms should seek medical attention or call 911.
· Be careful when shoveling snow. Follow your doctor’s advice if you have heart disease or high blood pressure. Cold weather puts an extra strain on the heart.
· Check on family, friends and neighbors who may need help in cold weather — especially older adults or people with disabilities — to make sure they are safe inside and have heat.
· Immediately tell your building superintendent, property manager or owner if you do not have heat. Call 311 if the problem is not fixed quickly and go to a warm place, such as a friend’s or family member’s home. If you stay at home, wear additional layers of clothing to keep warm.
· Improper use of portable heating equipment can lead to fire or dangerous levels of carbon monoxide. Take precautions to ensure you are heating your home safely. Do not heat your home with a gas stove or oven, charcoal grill, or kerosene, propane, or oil-burning heaters.
· Always keep an eye on heating equipment. Never leave children alone in the room where a space heater is running. Turn it off when you are unable to closely monitor it.
· Be careful not to overload electrical circuits.
For more safety tips, visit NYC.gov/SevereWeather.
New York Attorney General Letitia James released the following statement on the first anniversary of her office’s report on nursing homes’ response to COVID-19:
“A year ago, we released a comprehensive report demonstrating that the previous administration undercounted deaths in nursing homes due to COVID-19 by as much as 50 percent and how its policy decisions may have contributed to the deaths of those residents. This report spurred critical action, and following its release, our state passed important nursing home legislation. We are continuing to investigate certain facilities for violations of the law because we are committed to the wellbeing of nursing home residents and staff across New York.”
Read the report: Nursing Home Response to COVID-19 Pandemic
Five Defendants Now Have Pleaded Guilty to Fraud Conspiracy
A fifth defendant pleaded guilty in the Eastern District of New York to participating in a fraudulent, multi-million dollar mass-mailing scheme that tricked consumers into paying fees for falsely promised cash prizes.
According to court documents, from November 2013 through November 2018, Carmine Maietta, 75, of Westbury, New York, engaged in a direct-mail scheme that sent fraudulent prize notification mailings to thousands of consumers. The mailings induced consumers to pay a fee, purportedly in return for a large cash prize. None of the consumers who sent a fee ever received such a prize. Maietta pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud.
“Mass mailing fraud schemes often trick elderly victims into sending money based on false promises of large cash prizes,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department of Justice is committed to pursuing and prosecuting the perpetrators of these schemes.”
“With today’s guilty plea, Maietta admits to deceiving elderly and other vulnerable victims into believing they had won cash prizes when, in reality, he was simply pocketing their hard-earned funds,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “This office is committed to protecting the vulnerable from the financial harm caused by fraudulent mail solicitation schemes.”
“Sweepstakes and other frauds are extremely damaging to those who fall victim to a scammers’ pitch of trickery and lies,” said Inspector in Charge Daniel B. Brubaker of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “These fraudulent schemes by design are nothing more than lies written on paper. Postal Inspectors will always vigorously pursue individuals who prey on the public, bringing them to justice for their criminal activity.”
Four other defendants previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud for participating in the scheme. Charles Kafeiti, 58, of Scottsdale, Arizona, pleaded guilty on Dec. 23, 2020. Steven Diaz, 53, of Mount Sinai, New York, pleaded guilty on Feb. 8, 2021. Anthony Kafeiti, 61, of Port Jefferson, New York, pleaded guilty on July 28, 2021. Drew Wilson, 63, of British Columbia, Canada, pleaded guilty on Aug. 24, 2021. The defendants were part of a multi-million dollar mail fraud scheme in which they worked together to coordinate the mailings, open and process victims’ responses to the fraudulent solicitations, manage lists of recipients and respondents, and process victim payments.
Maietta will be sentenced at a later date. Each of the five defendants faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case.
Trial Attorneys Timothy Finley and Daniel Zytnick of the Civil Division’s Consumer Protection Branch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles P. Kelly of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the case.
The department’s extensive and broad-based efforts to combat elder fraud seeks to halt the widespread losses seniors suffer from fraud schemes. The best method for prevention, however, is by sharing information about the various types of elder fraud schemes with relatives, friends, neighbors and other seniors who can use that information to protect themselves.
If you or someone you know is age 60 or older and has been a victim of financial fraud, help is available at the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This Department of Justice hotline, managed by the Office for Victims of Crime, is staffed by experienced professionals who provide personalized support to callers by assessing the needs of the victim and identifying relevant next steps. Case managers will identify appropriate reporting agencies, provide information to callers to assist them in reporting, connect callers directly with appropriate agencies, and provide resources and referrals, on a case-by-case basis. Reporting is the first step. Reporting can help authorities identify those who commit fraud, and reporting certain financial losses due to fraud as soon as possible can increase the likelihood of recovering losses. The hotline is staffed seven days a week from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. ET. English, Spanish and other languages are available.
Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch. Information about the Department of Justice’s Elder Fraud Initiative is available at www.justice.gov/elderjustice.
State of Emergency Declared for Bronx, Kings, Nassau, New York, Putnam, Queens, Richmond, Rockland, Suffolk and Westchester Counties
Heavy Snow Now Expected Friday Evening Through Saturday for Long Island, New York City and Mid-Hudson Regions With Accumulations of 5 to 10 Inches Expected in NYC and 10 to 16 Inches Possible on Long Island
Governor Hochul Cautions New Yorkers to Stay Off the Roads This Weekend to Allow Emergency Response Crews to Work Safely
Long Island Rail Road to Suspend Service on All Branches; Blizzard Warning in Effect for Suffolk County
Speed Reductions and Truck Restrictions in Place Starting Friday Night for Long Island Expressway and Parkways As Sustained Winds Could Top 55 MPH
Governor Kathy Hochul today declared a State of Emergency effective at 8 p.m. due to heavy snowfall expected downstate as a coastal storm system will arrive Friday evening bringing more than a foot of snow and gusty winds to parts of Long Island and up to 10 inches of snow in New York City and the lower Hudson Valley. Winds gusting up to 55 mph at times will likely impact travel in several locations and could potentially cause power outages. Governor Hochul is advising New Yorkers in these locations to stay off the roads this weekend to avoid any dangerous travel conditions and allow emergency response crews to complete their missions.
"Out of an abundance of caution I am declaring a State of Emergency today as this storm is poised to create dangerous travel conditions, heavy snowfall rates and sustained winds over 50 mph tonight into Saturday," Governor Hochul said. "My team and I are laser focused on the forecast and we've been deploying emergency response assets ahead of the storm to assist with response efforts in the downstate areas. Get home safely tonight, remain home over the weekend, avoid any unnecessary travel, and our crews will safely clear the road."
Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray said, "We believe this storm will bring significant snowfall to Long Island and has a real chance at impacting New York City, with snowfall rates of more than one inch per hour. The State's Emergency Operations Center is open and closely tracking the storm, but we need New Yorkers to get home early tonight and expect heavy snow this weekend. Avoiding travel, especially on Saturday, will be critical in allowing emergency response crews from state and local agencies to do their jobs in the hardest hit areas."
A Blizzard Warning is in effect for Suffolk County and a Winter Storm Warning is currently in effect for Nassau County, New York City, Putnam, Rockland and Westchester areas. National Weather Service meteorologists advise there is still some uncertainty regarding the exact track of the storm and that snowfall totals may shift in future forecasts. For a complete listing of weather advisories in your area, visit the National Weather Service website.
Metropolitan Transportation Authority
The MTA is closely monitoring weather conditions to ensure safe, reliable service. MTA employees will be poised to spread salt, clear platforms and stairs where ice exists, and keep signals, switches, and third rail operating, remove any downed trees that may fall across tracks, and attend to any weather-related challenges during the storm.
Tomorrow, New York City Subways and Buses and the Metro-North Railroad expect to run on their normal weekend schedules. Articulated buses throughout New York City will be taken out of service on Saturday and replaced by 40-foot standard buses. All of those standard buses will be fitted with chains. MTA Bridges and Tunnels is advising motorists to use caution when driving on icy roadways and drive at reduced speeds.
The MTA continues to closely monitor the potential impact on the Long Island Rail Road.
Customers are encouraged to check new.mta.info for the latest service updates, and to use caution while navigating the system. Customers should also sign up for real-time service alerts via text or email. These alerts are also available via the MTA's apps: MYmta, Long Island Rail Road Train Time and Metro-North Train Time.
Safety Tips
Winter Travel
The leading cause of death and injuries during winter storms is transportation accidents.
Before getting behind the wheel, make sure that your vehicle is clear of ice and snow; good vision is key to good driving. Plan your stops and keep more distance between cars. Be extra alert and remember that snowdrifts can hide smaller children. Always match your speed to the road and weather conditions.
It is important for motorists on all roads to note that snowplows travel at speeds up to 35 mph, which in many cases is lower than the posted speed limit, to ensure that salt being dispersed stays in the driving lanes and does not scatter off the roadways. Oftentimes on interstate highways, snowplows will operate side by side, as this is the most efficient and safe way to clear several lanes at one time.
Motorists and pedestrians should also keep in mind that snowplow drivers have limited lines of sight, and the size and weight of snowplows can make it very difficult to maneuver and stop quickly. Snow blowing from behind the plow can severely reduce visibility or cause whiteout conditions. Motorists should not attempt to pass snowplows or follow too closely. The safest place for motorists to drive is well behind the snowplows where the roadway is clear and salted.
Some of the most important tips for safe driving include:
Power Outage
If experiencing a power outage, New Yorkers should:
For more safety tips, visit the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Safety Tips web page.