Over 1,700 tickets were issued during "Operation Hardhat."
The program between New York State Police, the State Department of Transportation and the New York Thruway Authority was an effort to keep highway workers safe in construction work zones. During the operation, state troopers dressed as highway maintenance workers to identify motorists who disobey safety rules. The tickets included violations for speeding, lack of seatbelts, cell phone use, and failure to move over.