New York State to Designate Areas as 'Texting Zones' for Drivers

The State of New York plans to create what New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s office is calling “Texting Zones,” areas where motorists can pull off the road and use their mobile devices.

by Staff

September 23, 2013

3 min to read

The State of New York plans to create what New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s office is calling “Texting Zones,” areas where motorists can pull off the road and use their mobile devices.

Existing Park-n-Ride facilities, rest stops, and other parking areas along the state’s Thruway and highways will function as Texting Zones and the state intends to place signage along the highway to inform drivers where these zones are located. The state is planning to place a total of 298 signs, according to the governor’s office.

The state also announced a major increase in the number of tickets for distracted driving that New York State Police have issued, at 365 percent when comparing summer 2013 to summer 2012. Last year state police issued a total of 5,208 tickets and this year (2013) the state issued 21,580 tickets.

The list of designated Texting Zones in New York is shown in the chart below:

County	Highway	Locality/Specific Location
Albany	I-87	New Baltimore Service Area
Albany	I-87	Rest Area - 3 miles south of Albany
Clinton	I-87	Beekmantown
Clinton	I-87	Point Au Roche
Clinton	I-87	Valcour
Essex	I-87	High Peaks NB
Essex	I-87	High Peaks SB
Essex	I 87	Elizabethtown
Essex	I 87	Lewis
Rockland	I-87	Ramapo Service Area
Rockland	I-87	Sloatsburg Service Area
Saratoga	I-87	Clifton Park
Ulster	I-87	Ulster Service Area
Ulster	I-87	Modena Service Area
Ulster	I-87	Plattekill Service Area
Ulster	I-87	Malden Service Area
Ulster	I-87	Rest Area - 11 miles south of Catskill
Ulster	I-87	Rest Area - 8 miles north of Kingston
Warren	I 87	Lake George
Warren	I-87	South Glens Falls
Warren	I-87	North Glens Falls
Westchester	I-87	Ardsley Service Area
Cortland	I-81	Preble
Livingston	I-390	Mt. Morris
Livingston	I-390	Geneseo
Cattaraugus	I-86	Allegany River
Chautauqua	I-86	Chautauqua L./Ellery
Cattaraugus	I 86	Randolph
Cattaraugus	I 86	Randolph
Allegany	I-86	Friendship
Steuben	I-86	Kanona
Steuben	I-86	Campbell
Steuben	I 390	Cohocton
Steuben	US Hwy 15/I86	Erwin
Steuben	I 86	Erwin
Steuben	I 86	Hornellsville
Jefferson	I-81	1000 Islands/Orleans
Jefferson	I-81	Watertown
Jefferson	I 81	Ellisburg
Jefferson	I 81	Ellisburg
Jefferson	I 81	Orleans
Jefferson	I 81	Pamelia
Jefferson	I 81	Pamelia
Jefferson	I 81	Pamelia
Jefferson	I 81	Watertown
Orange	I-84	Wallkill
Orange	I-84	Middletown
Dutchess	I-84	Stormville
Dutchess	I-84	Fishkill
Putnam	I-684	Brewster
Weschester	I-684	Bedford
Orange	I 84	Greenville
Orange	I 84	Greenville
Chenango	I-81	Whitney Point
Tioga	NY 17	Nichols
Tioga	NY 17	Owego
Delaware	NY 17	East Branch
Sullivan	NY 17	Roscoe
Broome	I-81	Penn State Line
Otsego	I-88	Unadilla
Otsego	I-88	East Worcester
Suffolk	I 495	Huntington
Suffolk	I 495	Huntington
Cayuga	I-90	Port Byron Service Area
Erie	I-90	Clarence Service Area
Erie	I-90	Angola Service Area EB
Erie	I-90	Angola Service Area WB
Erie	I-90	Rest Area - 2 miles east of Eden/Angola
Erie	I-90	Rest Area - 7 miles west of Hamburg
Genesee	I-90	Pembroke Service Area
Herkimer	I-90	Iroquois Service Area
Herkimer	I-90	Schuyler Service Area
Herkimer	I-90	Indian Castle Service Area
Madison	I-90	Chittenango Service Area
Monroe	I-90	Ontario Service Area
Monroe	I-90	Scottsville Service Area
Montgomery	I-90	Mohawk Service Area
Montgomery	I-90	Rest Area - 10 miles east of Canajoharie
Montgomery	I-90	Rest Area - 2 miles west of Fultonville
Oneida	I-90	Oneida Service Area
Oneida	I-90	Rest Area - 3 miles east of Verona
Oneida	I-90	Rest Area - 3 miles west of Verona
Onondaga	I-90	Warners Service Area
Onondaga	I-90	DeWitt Service Area
Ontario	I-90	Junius Ponds
Ontario	I-90	Seneca Service Area
Ontario	I-90	Clifton Springs Service Area
Ontario	I-90	Rest Area - 9 miles east of Rochester
Schenectady	I-90	Pattersonville Service Area
Schenectady	I-90	Guilderland Service Area
Seneca	I-90	Rest Area - 15 miles west of Weedsport

Topics:New York Driver Safety Distracted Driving Mobile Devices Safety

More Safety

Safe Driving on Halloween over spooky fall road

Safety•by Staff•October 25, 2026

Tips for Driving Safely on Halloween Night

This video features a reminder from the Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association, urging drivers to prioritize safety this Halloween.

Safety•by Jeanny Abraham•October 22, 2026

IIHS Crash Avoidance Tests Reveal Safety Gaps in Cargo Vans and Work Trucks

New crash-avoidance ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reveal inconsistent performance among commercial vehicles, with several popular cargo vans and heavy-duty pickups struggling to avoid collisions with other vehicles and pedestrians.

Safety•by Faith Howell•October 16, 2026

What’s Next for Fleet? Safety, AI & Industry Recognition | AF News Recap

Could your company's culture be encouraging distracted driving? This week, we're exploring how workplace expectations affect driver safety, what AI, EVs, and autonomous vehicles could mean for the future of fleet management, and how fleet professionals can strengthen their award nominations.

a man driving with a cell phone in his hand.

Safety•by Jeanny Abraham•October 14, 2026

Does Your Fleet's Culture Encourage Distracted Driving?

What happens when the people responsible for enforcing safety rules are the ones setting the wrong example? The answer may reveal why some of the biggest risks to fleet drivers have little to do with what's written in the employee handbook.

Motorq Whitepaper Cover - Fleet Managers Ultimate Playbook

Fleet Manager’s Ultimate Playbook: Navigating the New Standard in OEM Connectivity

Rising operating costs, driver safety concerns, and unplanned downtime are putting unprecedented pressure on modern fleets. Discover how fleet managers use embedded OEM connectivity and real-time vehicle data to cut TCO, prevent downtime, and protect drivers without aftermarket telematics hardware.

An AF news recap thumbnail with a woman pointing at the title "From driver well-being to EV charging"

Safety•by Faith Howell•September 21, 2026

From Driver Well-Being to EV Charging | AF News Recap

Mental health belongs in the fleet safety conversation. This week, we’re looking at five ways fleets can support employee well-being before a crisis, plus Holman’s expansion in Mexico, new one-day Fleet Forward passes, and why EV charging demand is outpacing infrastructure growth.