THRUWAY AUTHORITY AND GOVERNOR'S TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMITTEE LAUNCH STATEWIDE PSA CAMPAIGN TO PROMOTE MOVE OVER LAW, COMBAT DISTRACTED DRIVING

"They Trust You" Campaign Reminds Drivers That Roadway Workers Depend on Motorists to Make Safe Choices Behind the Wheel

$250,000 GTSC Highway Safety Grant Awarded to the Thruway Authority in 2025 Funded "They Trust You" Campaign 

Campaign to Run Statewide Through September on Popular Streaming and Digital Platforms

The New York State Thruway Authority and the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) today announced the launch of a statewide public service announcement (PSA) campaign aimed at educating motorists about New York's Move Over Law and the dangers of distracted driving.

Titled "They Trust You," the campaign highlights the responsibility every driver shares to protect highway workers, first responders, tow truck operators and others who work on New York's roadways. Funded through a $250,000 GTSC Highway Safety Grant, the campaign will run across New York State through the end of September on television, streaming, social media and various digital platforms. PSAs will appear in both English and Spanish.

"The men and women who maintain our highways and respond to emergencies place their trust in every passing driver," said Thruway Authority Executive Director Frank G. Hoare, Esq. "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 leading to 28 injuries in Thruway work zones, the highest level 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 that expanded the Move Over law to include all vehicles.

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

Christian Jackstadt, New York State Department of Motor Vehicles Acting Commissioner 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 all distractions and let everyone get home at the end of the day to the people who care about them.”

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 an emergency response situation. Those choices are clear: slow down and obey the posted work zone speed limit, stay alert, put the phone down, and move over. And 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 our vigilance in safeguarding workers, emergency personnel and all motorists from dangerous driving.”

The campaign targets drivers of all ages with a 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 drinking and eating while driving. In addition to the PSA, 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, GTSC, New York State Police Troop T and other transportation agencies to improve compliance with the Move Over Law and reduce preventable crashes and fatalities.

For more information about the Move Over Law, visit thruway.ny.gov/MoveOver.

About the New York State Thruway Authority

Built in the early 1950s, the Governor Thomas E. Dewey Thruway is one of the oldest components of the National Interstate Highway System and one of the longest toll roads in the nation. It sets the standard for modern highway geometric design with safe roadway characteristics including smooth curves, wide medians and unobstructed driver sight distance.

Year after year, the Thruway system is recognized as one of the safest highways in the nation. In 2025, the Thruway-wide fatality rate was 0.36 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled. The figure is significantly lower than the nationwide (estimated) traffic fatality rate for 2025 of 1.10 and the latest New York State (estimated) traffic fatality rate from 2025 of 0.83.

About the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee

The New York State Governor's Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) coordinates traffic safety activities in the state and shares useful, timely information about traffic safety and the state's highway safety grant program.

The Committee is comprised of thirteen agencies who have missions related to transportation and safety. The GTSC is chaired by the Commissioner of the Department of Motor Vehicles and acts as the state's official liaison with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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