Thank you Z/Sgt. Wilkinson!

I was THRILLED to receive this letter from Z/Sgt. Wilkinson This afternoon! Looks as though the past years efforts were history making!!!

It is with great pride that I advise you of two recent announcements
from the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles:

The first is that 2007 was the safest year ever on New York’s roads.
Last year 1,317 people lost their lives on New York’s roads and highways; an 8 percent reduction from the previous year. This represents 116 fewer people who lost their lives on our roads, and that is a testament to the impact of your traffic safety efforts. As you may recall, in January 2008, the Superintendent commended you on your demonstrated commitment to traffic safety for having issued more than
one million traffic tickets for the first time in history. Research has consistently shown the correlation between high levels of enforcement and improved traffic safety, and your efforts clearly demonstrate this relationship.

The second announcement is an increase in the use of safety restraints by New York motorists, which contributed significantly to the improvement in traffic safety. Surveys commissioned by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee this summer indicated that 89 percent of New York motorists were buckled up; a record high. Not surprisingly, the DMV statistics indicate that unbelted fatalities dropped by more than 20 percent between 2006 and 2007. In total, unbelted fatalities have been
reduced by more than 50 percent since the start of the Buckle Up New York Campaign. Though troopers comprise only about 16 percent of police manpower in the regions we patrol outside of New York City, you account
for 47 percent of the safety restraint enforcement. By driving up the use of safety belts among New York motorists, you are reducing the number of tragic outcomes among the crashes that do occur, and you should take great pride in knowing that your efforts are making a difference.

Congratulations on a job well-done.

NAME WITHHELD
Field Commander