CHENANGO COUNTY – Since the county’s new Traffic Diversion Program was implemented in May of this year, Chenango County District Attorney Joe McBride says the program has been a win-win for everybody involved.

“Gard [Turner’s] doing a great job of administering the program, of working with all the town courts in the county, and making sure people who have tickets know that the program is an available option to dispose of their tickets,” said McBride about the Traffic Diversion Program’s administrator, Gard Turner.

Following the lead of other counties in New York State, Chenango County’s Traffic Diversion Program is designed to afford motorists who commit certain non-serious vehicle and traffic violations an opportunity to participate in a traffic safety course approved by the NYS DMV in lieu of a conviction on the traffic offense.

Upon the completion of the traffic safety course and payment of the required application fee, the motorist’s traffic ticket(s) will be dismissed.

McBride says the program has multiple aims: To make the roads safer by promoting traffic safety and defensive driving courses, and to give otherwise safe drivers a break on their driver’s licenses – all while aiding the county and its towns financially.

“One of the reasons this program is great for the community is, some fines issued by local courts – without laying blame – are very, very high,” said McBride. “Gard and I were in court and one gentleman had two tickets that, with the surcharges, totaled $695, and we thought that was unfair and excessive.