ALBANY, N.Y. — According to a news release from the governor’s office, Governor Kathy Hochul has announced there will be increased police patrols over Labor Day weekend, enforcing the national “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign.
“As family and friends celebrate the summer festivities, we’re stepping up our efforts to keep New Yorkers safe on the road,” Hochul said in the release. “Public safety is my number one priority — and whether you’re heading to a cookout, the beach or the fair, we’re focused on getting you there safely.”
State Police and local law enforcement agencies will conduct sobriety checkpoints and increase patrols during the enforcement period. Troopers will use both marked State Police vehicles and Concealed Identity Traffic Enforcement (CITE) vehicles to help identify motorists who are violating the law. CITE vehicles allow the Trooper to better observe driving violations. While these vehicles blend in with everyday traffic, they are unmistakable as emergency vehicles once the emergency lighting is activated.
During the 2024 campaign, law enforcement officers statewide issued 20,714 tickets for various vehicle and traffic law violations, including 4,374 tickets for speeding and 966 tickets for drug or alcohol impaired driving.
“I thank all our dedicated law enforcement officers statewide for working tirelessly to remove impaired and reckless drivers from our roadways and putting their lives on the line every day to make our communities as safe as possible. Please don’t make their already difficult jobs harder when you are driving. Obey speed limits, don’t be distracted and always have a plan to ensure you never drive impaired. That way, we all can have a safe and happy end of summer and Labor Day weekend,” New York State Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner and Chair of the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee Mark Schroeder said in the release.
“Our goal during this campaign and as always is to ensure that we take intoxicated and drug impaired drivers off our roads and prevent senseless tragedies. We want everyone to enjoy the final few weeks of summer but ask that they are enjoyed responsibly. I thank the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee for their partnership and together we can prevent the needless tragedies that occur from unsafe and impaired driving,” New York State Police Superintendent Steven James said in the release.
The Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee urges drivers to use the STOP-DWI Have a Plan app to help them get home safely. The free app allows users to designate a driver, call a cab or ride share and to review the consequences of impaired driving. Users can even use the app to report a drunk or drugged driver. The app is available for Apple, Android and Windows smart phones. Motorists are also reminded to follow the State’s Move Over Law, which requires all drivers to slow down and move over when safe to do so for all vehicles stopped along the roadway.
