This year's Safe Summer initiative was launched with a focus on our community's high school juniors and seniors at Walter Panas High School and Hendrick Hudson High School, with a powerful presentation about distracted driving. Just days from celebrating their proms, graduations and summer break, students were impacted by the personal story of Jacy Good and her husband, Ardsley resident, Steve Johnson. Jacy and Steve shared their powerful message that applies to everyone on the road... to HANG UP AND DRIVE! Jacy, just hours after her college graduation in 2008, was headed back home from school with her parents when their car was struck head on by a tractor trailer, killing her parents and leaving her critically injured, partially paralyzed and her life and dreams forever altered. The horrific accident was caused by a High School student who was distracted with his cell phone.

In addition to outreach regarding distracted driving, speeding, and driving while impaired, Westchester County Police officers assigned to their Community Policing Unit and the Cortlandt Precinct, have also been conducting underage alcohol and vape details throughout the Town to ensure compliance with not selling to minors. The officers recently visited sixteen establishments and fortunately there was only one business that failed by selling alcohol to a minor.

County Police and Cortlandt Precinct officers will also be out through the summer conducting driving while impaired, speed and traffic enforcement awareness and enforcement details with a hope of getting the community to "slow the roll".

Our goal is for the community, especially our youth, to have a safe summer and make smart decisions. We ask everyone to please slow down, drive sober, and to put your phones down while you're in the car... it can wait.

Photo from Hen Hud: PO Jesse Maracallo, Hendrick Hudson School District SRO, Amanda Magnotta, HHHS Student Assistance Counselor, Colleen Anderson, Town of Cortlandt Coalition, Jacy Good, Steve Johnson and Sgt. Jim Dress