‘Pumpkin Patrol’ planned to keep drivers safe from tossed gourds on New York State Thruway

New York State Police (NYSP) will be increasing patrols in an effort to protect drivers from pumpkins dropped from overpasses this Halloween.

On October 30 and 31, NYSP Troop T will take part in the annual “Pumpkin Patrol” along New York State Thruway bridges and overpasses “to deter dangerous Halloween pranks and ensure the safety of motorists.”

It is expected that NYSP will be assisted by “several hundred volunteers across more than a dozen counties” in the patrol.

“This longstanding initiative is a collaboration between Troop T, whose members patrol the Thruway exclusively, and volunteers from local Citizen Band radio clubs and amateur radio organizations. These volunteers will monitor various overpasses, watching for suspicious or unsafe activity, and can quickly alert nearby State Police patrols or local law enforcement to help prevent hazards to passing motorists,” NYSP said in a news release.

The Pumpkin Patrol will coincide with other NYSP enforcement activities over the Halloween weekend, including increased patrols on the lookout for impaired, distracted, and aggressive driving.

According to NYSP, the “Pumpkin Patrol was initiated as a volunteer effort in 1976 by Katherine St. Jacques in Fort Johnson, NY. Ms. St. Jacques was talking to a truck driver on her citizen’s band radio when the windshield of his vehicle was struck by an object thrown from an overpass. The driver sustained serious injuries. St. Jacques and two others decided to stand watch on the three overpasses that crossed the Thruway in the Fort Johnson area.”

Each year, trucks are a popular target for pumpkin-throwers during the Halloween season.