Pull over: Traffic tickets in Bedford surge

Summonses in Bedford spiked 23 percent in 2024 while rising just 3 percent in Pound Ridge and falling 8 percent in Lewisboro

By DAVID SHEINGOLD

Driving dangerously or illegally got a whole lot riskier last year in Bedford.

In one of the largest spikes among local police departments across Westchester County, the number of traffic tickets issued by Bedford Police shot up nearly 25 percent in 2024.

Driven heavily by large jumps in summonses for registration, inspection, stop sign, driver license and traffic-control device violations, the Bedford ticket tally jumped from 1,203 in 2023 to 1,483 in 2024.

An analysis of summons data by The Recorder found that the 23 percent increase far exceeded a 3 percent gain countywide last year. It ranked ninth among Westchester’s 47 police departments.

Last year’s trend reversed a pattern seen locally from 2022 to 2023 when the number of tickets dipped slightly in Bedford while they shot up throughout the county, according to data maintained by the state based on reports from police agencies throughout New York. The data can be found at data.ny.gov.

It also contrasted with nearby towns. In Lewisboro, the number of traffic summonses issued by town police rose 22 percent in 2023 before dropping 8 percent last year; it increased 3 percent last year in Pound Ridge following a 15 percent dip in 2023. Comparisons with Mount Kisco could not be made because that village is patrolled by Westchester County Police and the New York State Police — provided data does not break down county-issued tickets by municipality.

Leading the local gains in Bedford last year were alleged violations for laws relating to vehicle registration, up 112 percent, from 60 to 127; vehicle inspection, up 102 percent, from 96 to 194; disobeying stop signs, up 56 percent, from 113 to 177; driver licenses, up 50 percent, from 113 to 166; and running red lights or ignoring other control devices, up 46 percent, from 119 to 174. Speeding tickets increased 13 percent, to 181.

As citations for traffic-law violations rose in Bedford last year, several violations stood out as apparent priorities compared to the rest of the county.

For example, Bedford issues some of the largest portions of traffic tickets in Westchester County for seatbelt, stop sign, vehicle inspection and violations of truck operation safety rules. That’s especially true for inspection and stop sign citations, which have become notably larger percentages of tickets in Bedford over the last two years.

The ticket data shows that 13 percent, or one of every eight, tickets issued by Bedford Police in 2024 were for expired vehicle inspection. That ranked third among all police agencies in Westchester. Another 12 percent last year were for stop sign violations while 5 percent were for not wearing seatbelts, which ranked ninth and eighth countywide, respectively.

Motor carrier operators, like trucks, operating unsafely got 4 percent of local tickets. That ranked fourth among all Westchester law enforcement departments.

Other major ticket categories that put Bedford more in the middle or back of the pack countywide in 2024 were speeding (12 percent of town-level tickets), disobeying traffic-control devices (12 percent), driver license violations (11 percent) vehicle equipment issues including damaged, improper or broken windows, windshield wipers, lights, brake or tires, as well as overweight vehicles (9 percent). Speeding, traffic-control and license tickets all rose last year while equipment summonses declined.

It is unclear whether the annual increase in traffic tickets translated into more money for the town of Bedford. 

Contacted by The Recorder, Comptroller Brian Kenneally said this week that the town’s financial reporting does not break out figures for fines from moving violations. Those numbers are rolled up into a budget category called “fines and forfeited bail,” which combines revenue from several sources including moving and parking violations, criminal DWI fines, and other areas. The annual total for this category was $426,984 in 2024, down from $605,67 in 2023. In 2022, the total was $414,643, according to the comptroller.

Jeff Morris contributed additional reporting.