ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Nearly 38,000 tickets were issued during the statewide “No Empty Chair” teen driving safety education and enforcement campaign. Hosted by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, the campaign was designed to raise awareness of highway dangers and provide peer-to-peer education through groups like Students Against Destructive Decisions.

“When prom and graduation time come around, everyone is excited to celebrate those milestones, but all too often, safety may take a back seat to that good time,” said GTSC Chair and DMV Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder. “Our mission is making sure that those important events take place with no empty chairs, and everyone who is supposed to be there in attendance. We take seriously providing a coordinated approach of education and enforcement to remind young drivers about their obligations as motorists and what happens if someone is driving recklessly, distractedly, or impaired.”