Traffic Safety Brochure

Chemung County Safety Board
Safety Belts & Child Safety Seats
Share the Road
Cell Phone Use
School Buses
Safety Tips
Older Drivers
Pedestrian Safety
Aggressive Driving
Intersection Safety

Chemung County Safety Board

The primary purpose of the Traffic Safety Board is to promote safety education for drivers, pedestrians, bicyclists and all users of the road and street system. We hope that you find the Safety Tips included in this pamphlet to be useful.

Sheriff Charles D.W. Houper
Traffic Safety Board Chairman

The members of the Board include:
Undersheriff John Brinthaupt, Chemung County
Chief James Waters, City of Elmira Police Dept.
Kristin Card, Chemung County Safety Coordinator
Duke Carroll, Perry & Carroll Inc.
Chief David Kole, Village of Horseheads Police Dept.
Sidney Graubard, Chemung County Legislator
Chief Robert Hauptman, Elmira Heights Police Dept.
Ronald Hawley, City of Elmira Public Services Dir.
Joseph Holly, Town of Southport Justice
Randy Olthof, Chemung County Planning Dept.
Chief Peter Peterson, West Elmira Police Dept.
Jay Schissell, Elmira-Chemung Transportation Council
Andrew Smith, Chemung County DWI Coordinator
Michael Smith, Emergency Management Office Dir.
Timothy Von Neida, County Public Works Comm.
Mary Ann Teeter, Arnot Ogden Medical Center

For emergencies in Chemung County Call 911

For more information contact:
Chemung County Sheriff's Office
PO Box 588
Elmira, NY 14902
(607) 737-2929

For more information about the transportation
planning process, contact:
Elmira-Chemung Transportation Council
(607) 737-5510
ectc@stny.rr.com

Safety Belts & Child Safety Seats

Department of Motor Vehicles data indicates that failure to wear safety restraints is the most prevalent factor associated with traffic fatalities in New York State. All front seat occupants and all rear seat passengers under age 16 are required to wear seat belts.

Seat belts work because they hold the occupant close to his or her initial sitting position. This ensures that the occupant will avoid hitting internal parts of the car, or minimizes the force of such impact should the occupant do so. In addition, passengers do not collide with each other and they are not thrown out of the vehicle.

When purchasing or borrowing a child safety seat be certain it fits your child and can be installed easily and correctly with your vehicle's safety seat system. Use of an infant carrier/child safety seat is mandatory in New York State for children up to the age of four. Passenger side air bags pose lifethreatening danger to babies in rear facing infant safety seats. It is always safer to place any child safety seats in the back seat of a car.

Share the Road

Drivers should respect the rights of bicyclists and pedestrians, and they in turn should be aware of and obey applicable laws. Motorists should allow plenty of space when passing a bike since the wind produced by a passing car can cause a cyclist to swerve out of control. After passing a cyclist, make sure you have allowed adequate distance before merging back in lane. Experienced bicyclists can ride 20-25 mph and may be closer than you think. New York State law requires motorists to change lanes to pass cyclists if they can't safely do so while staying in the same lane.

Bicyclists are permitted on most roadways and sidewalks, except where prohibited by local or state regulations. Bicyclists and pedestrians are not permitted on State Route 17/Interstate 86. Bicyclists must travel with traffic, traveling against traffic is against the law.

All bicyclists and in-line skaters under the age of fourteen are required to wear approved bicycle helmets. It's the Law. Every bicyclist or in-line skater, regardless of age, should wear a Snell Memorial Foundation or ANSI approved helmet. Helmets should fit snugly and rest securely on the forehead.

Cell Phone Use

New York has passed a law banning the use of handheld mobile telephones while driving. This law states "no person shall operate a motor vehicle upon a public highway while using a mobile telephone to engage in a call while such vehicle is in motion." Using a hand held cell phone is defined as "holding a mobile telephone to, or in immediate proximity of, the user's ear." Using a hand-held mobile telephone while driving, for other than contact with emergency or medical personnel regarding an emergency situation, is a traffic infraction punishable by a fine of not more than $100. In addition to the fine, a surcharge of $30 shall be assessed for convictions of the cell phone law. Town and village courts shall add $5 to this baseline surcharge.

In addition to the new law, it is important to keep in mind that ANY task a driver performs while driving is a potential distraction. It is best to use a cellular phone, even a "hands-free" model when you are stopped.

School Buses

It is illegal - and very dangerous - to pass a stopped school bus when the large red lights located on top of the bus are flashing. Flashing lights mean the bus is picking up or discharging students.

You must stop whether you are approaching the school bus from the front or overtaking it from the rear.

You must always stop for flashing red lights, even on divided and multilane highways and on school grounds.

The first-time fine for illegally passing a school bus is a $250 fine, 5 points on your license, and/or possibly 30 days in jail. Worse yet, the memory of hitting or killing a child may be one you carry for the rest of your life!

Safety Tips

The primary cause of crashes in Chemung County is animal related. Here are some safety tips on avoiding car-deer crashes or to minimize damage when the accident is unavoidable.

• Use special caution in those areas marked with deer crossing signs.


• If you see one deer, expect there will be others. Slow down and be alert.


• Do not swerve your vehicle to avoid striking a deer. It is better to strike a deer than another vehicle or a fixed object.


• Continually scan the fields and areas adjacent to the roadway for deer. Often you can see them approaching the roadway and can slow down.


• During hours of darkness use your bright lights when no traffic is approaching. The high beams will illuminate the eyes of the deer approaching the road or already in the road.


• Always drive at a safe and prudent speed.

There are very few "accidents." There are many crashes. Most crashes occur because of driver error or inattention. Areas in Chemung County where people need to be particularly attentive include:

• County Route 6644/Chambers Road - vicinity of Consumer Square/Arnot Mall


• Roue 14 - Miracle Mile


• Hanover Square

According to the National Traffic Safety Administration, drowsy drivers cause over 100,000 motor vehicle crashes each year. Experts believe that driver fatigue is the cause of most single vehicle accidents. Driver fatigue impairs driving skills. It leads to poor judgment, slowed reaction times, and decreased awareness. Causes of driver fatigue include long-distance driving, tough road conditions such as fog and snow, lack of sleep, and the use of drugs and alcohol, which increases exhaustion. Time of day can also be a factor. Studies show that between 2 A.M. and 6 A.M. is the "danger zone."

You can fight driver fatigue by getting enough sleep, taking breaks every couple of hours to relax and stretch your legs, and setting realistic travel goals. Turn your heater down; cooler temperatures will keep you refreshed. Caffeine will not erase a sleep deficit. The effect caffeine has on alertness wears off fairly quickly.

Older Drivers

1. Make sure you always wear your glasses and that they are a current prescription.
2. Do not wear sunglasses or tinted lenses at night. Avoid driving at dawn, dusk and night.
3. Keep your windshield, mirrors and headlights clean, and make sure your headlight aim is checked when your car is inspected. Choose a car with larger dials and easy-to-read symbols. Turn brightness up on the instrument panel.
4. Sit high enough in your seat so that you can see the road for at least 10 feet in front of your car. This will make a big difference in reducing the amount of glare you experience from opposing headlights at night. Also, look to the lower right side of the road when there is oncoming traffic.

Pedestrian Safety

Motorists should yield to pedestrians using marked or unmarked crosswalks. Don't overtake or pass drivers who have stopped for pedestrians.

Right turn on red means STOP, LOOK in all directions for pedestrians and other vehicles, and then turn when it is safe.

Children and older adults are more likely to be involved in fatal pedestrian accidents than any other age group. Seventy percent of pedestrian accidents involving older adults occur at intersections and crosswalks. More than half of all pedestrian fatalities occur at night, even though there is far less pedestrian and vehicular traffic during these hours.

Pedestrians should be particularly alert for turning cars and should make eye contact with a driver before crossing in front of their vehicle. Check for traffic before stepping into a crosswalk even when crossing on the "walk" signal. If walking at night wear reflective clothing or carry a flashlight to help drivers see you. Always walk facing traffic.

Aggressive Driving

It does not take long to find examples of aggressive driving on our roadways. Most of us see it every day - the road racer, the distracter, the tailgater, the frequent lane changer, and the red light runner.

Crashes are caused by the way we drive. Reduce your stress when you drive. Allow plenty of time for the trip and understand that you cannot control the traffic, only your reaction to it. Assume other drivers' mistakes are not personal. Be polite and courteous, even if the other driver is not. Avoid all conflict if possible. If another driver challenges you, take a deep breath, and move out of the way. Never underestimate the other driver's capacity for mayhem. Be a courteous driver yourself. Everyone has the power to set an example, and this will help make our roadways safer. Use that power.

Intersection Safety

• When stopped at a red light and it turns green, proceed slowly. Look left and right before driving through the intersection. In Chemung County this is especially important at the at-grade intersections on Route 17 in the Village of Horseheads.
• When turning right on red, where permitted, STOP, LOOK in all directions for pedestrians and other vehicles, and then turn when it is safe.
• When approaching a green light, be prepared for it to turn red.
• Yellow lights mean proceed with caution, not speed up to get through the intersection.
• If you see a sign that says "At-Grade Intersections" on a road like State Route 17, be prepared for traffic crossing at signalized and unsignalized street crossings.