New England Traffic Crackdown Aims at Speeding, Distracted and Impaired Driving

Police in New Hampshire said speeding was linked to 33 deaths in the state in 2024.

Officials from across New England are rolling out a regional road safety push aimed at reducing dangerous driving behaviors on highways and local roads.

The campaign, called New England Drive to Save Lives, was announced Monday at the Department of Transportation in Derry. Gov. Kelly Ayotte appeared with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and state troopers from all New England states to unveil the effort.

The initiative will focus heavily on speeding, while also increasing attention on impaired and distracted driving. New Hampshire State Police said enforcement will expand beyond roads, with aircraft being used to help identify drivers traveling too fast.

Police in New Hampshire said speeding was linked to 33 deaths in the state in 2024. Emily Sterling, the NHTSA regional director, noted that speeding has accounted for one-third of all motor vehicle deaths nationwide for more than 20 years.

State leaders also said New Hampshire is developing a broader education effort to address wrong-way driving.