"Give Turtles a Break." This is the time of year you're mostly likely to find turtles on area roads.
Turtles cross roads this time of year because they are searching for areas to lay their eggs according to the Department of Environmental Conservation. Unfortunately, thousands of turtles are killed each year by unsuspecting drivers who don't see the slow-moving creatures until it's too late the DEC says. While people are encouraged to help turtles cross the road, ENCON warns turtles should not be taken as pets as all turtles native to New York State are protected by law and cannot be kept without a DEC permit.