New York State has a vast network of roadways, including miles of rural routes and multi-laned highways that weave through areas of farmland and scenic countryside, and the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law (VTL) allows for the operation of self-propelled agricultural equipment and other Slow-Moving Vehicles (SMVs) on public roadways, so that farmers and others may conduct work necessary to their industry and their livelihood; and

  in order to improve the safety of SMV operators and all motorists, there have been several changes made to the VTL regarding the use of Slow-Moving Vehicle emblems and lighting requirements, including the recent enactment of New York State laws which became effective on January 1, 2009; and

  informing motorists about new provisions of the law and increasing their awareness of the challenges of sharing the road with SMV operators - as lawful highway users - will significantly improve highway safety; and

  in 2007, there were 59 accidents involving SMVs in New York State which resulted in 17 personal injuries and, tragically, the highest number of victims in fatal crashes are operators of a farm vehicle; and

  farm equipment typically travels at 25 miles per hour (mph) or less in areas where the speed limit may be posted at 55 mph, leaving little time for approaching traffic to react and also leaving operators vulnerable and at greater risk of being involved in a road mishap; and

  the National Safety Council estimates that, annually, more than 15,000 collisions involving farm vehicles occur on roadways across the United States; and

 more than two-thirds of those crashes involve the farm vehicle being hit from behind and over 90 percent occur in the daylight and on dry roads; and

  particularly during this month and in the next several months of warm weather when farms are at their height of operation, and throughout the entire year, New York State urges all motorists to be alert, conscientious and safety-minded, and to be considerate in sharing the roadways with operators of Slow-Moving Vehicles;

 I, David A. Paterson, Governor of the State of New York, do hereby proclaim April, 2009 as