If you’re driving through a construction zone in New York, be aware that men working at the site could actually be undercover New York State Police troopers, waiting to bust cars that go over the speed limit or violate other laws.
This actually happened on May 22 – troopers disguised themselves as construction workers with yellow hard hats and safety vests in active work zones in New York, resulting in a massive crackdown.
Something similar happened on May 19, and it won’t be the last time it happens this year. The aim is to target speeding motorists in construction zones, where vehicles are just a few feet away from workers.
Speeding in active work zones puts the workers’ lives in great danger, a point that the NYSP is taking very seriously.
Operation Hard Hat Busts 94 Vehicles in Eight Hours
According to a release by the New York State Police, State Police Troop T conducted Operation Hard Hat along the New York State Thruway (I-90) on May 22, 2026.
Troopers posed as workers in an active work zone to identify violators. The information was then relayed to uniformed troopers in the area to take action.
A total of 94 tickets were issued during the operation in just eight hours, of which 69 were for exceeding the posted work zone speed limit of 55 mph. Eight tickets were for seatbelt violations, six for move over law violations, two were for use of a cellphone/electronic device, and nine tickets were for other violations.
Operation Hard Hat is the continuation of a statewide campaign that began in April during the launch of National Work Zone Awareness Week, which urged drivers to follow the state’s Move Over Law to protect highway and roadside workers.
The NYSP stated it would continue enforcement throughout the construction season this year. In a message to motorists, the release read:
“Operation Hard Hat entails troopers posing as workers embedded in an active work zone to identify violations and then advise uniformed troopers in the area to take enforcement actions.
“The New York State Police remind all motorists that work zones demand heightened attention. Drivers are required to slow down, remain alert, and comply with New York’s Move Over Law. These laws are in place to protect highway workers, emergency personnel, and all motorists traveling through active work zones.”
50 Vehicles Busted on Interstate 81
Before the operation carried out on May 22, the NYSP conducted Operation Hard Hat in a New York State Department of Transportation work zone on Interstate 81 in the town of Parish, Oswego County, on May 19.
Troopers issued 50 tickets that day, with 28 being for move over violations, eight tickets for cellphone use, one for speeding, four for seatbelt violations, and lastly, nine tickets for other violations. The NYSP stated in a post on Facebook:
“Operation Hard Hat is a joint initiative between the New York State Police and the New York State Department of Transportation aimed at reducing dangerous driving behaviors in active work zones and improving safety for highway workers.
“Remember to slow down, stay alert, and Move Over to help keep roadside workers safe.”