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State Police to Crack Down on Impaired and Reckless
Driving Over Thanksgiving Holiday
Published: November 21, 2023
at 01:00 p.m.
By: Press Release from New York State Police
State Police to
crack down on impaired and reckless driving over the Thanksgiving holiday
21 November 2023
NEW YORK STATE
POLICE
Major Brent M.
Davison
Troop B Commander
PRESS RELEASE
The New York
State Police will participate in a special traffic enforcement initiative
to crack down on unsafe driving behaviors during the upcoming Thanksgiving
holiday. The special traffic enforcement period runs from Wednesday,
November 22, 2023, through Sunday, November 26, 2023.
New York State
Police Acting Superintendent Dominick L. Chiumento said, “Every year there
are preventable tragedies and a wake of victims left behind because of the
decisions made by reckless and impaired drivers. As we drive throughout the
state to see our family and friends this holiday season, we need to make
safe driving imperative. If you’re celebrating with alcohol, I encourage
you to designate a sober driver and plan for a safe ride home. I thank the
Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee for their support and collaboration on
this pivotal enforcement. Our troopers remain committed to ensuring
everyone’s safety and by motorists making the right choices, together we
can prevent needless tragedies on our roadways.”
The State Police
will supplement regular patrols statewide, including fixed sobriety
checkpoints, which targets distracted drivers by utilizing Concealed
Identity Traffic Enforcement (CITE) patrol vehicles to better locate
drivers talking or texting on handheld devices. These unmarked vehicles
blend in with everyday traffic but are unmistakable as emergency vehicles
once the emergency lighting is activated.
Elevated traffic
volumes typically occur during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. It is also
a time when alcohol consumption is widespread. During the 2022 Thanksgiving
holiday period, troopers arrested 213 drivers for DWI, issued 4,757
speeding tickets, and 425 tickets for distracted driving.
The Thanksgiving
impaired driving enforcement initiative is funded by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC).
The GTSC and the New York State STOP-DWI Foundation remind motorists that
their “Have a Plan” mobile
app, is available for Apple, Android and
Windows smartphones. The app enables New Yorkers to locate and call a taxi
or rideshare service and program a designated driver list. It also provides
information on DWI laws and penalties, and
provides a way to report a suspected impaired driver.
If you drive
drunk or drugged, you not only put your life and the lives of others at
risk, you could face arrest, jail time, and
substantial fines and attorney fees. The average drinking and driving
arrest costs up to $10,000.
Arrested drunk
and drugged drivers face the loss of their driver’s license, higher
insurance rates, and dozens of unanticipated expenses from attorney fees,
fines and court costs, car towing and repairs, and lost time at work.
The New York
State Police, GTSC and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
recommend these simple tips to prevent impaired driving:
- Plan a safe way home before the
fun begins;
- Before drinking, designate a sober driver;
- If you’re impaired, use a taxi or ride
sharing service, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation;
- Use your community’s sober ride program;
- If you suspect a driver is drunk or impaired
on the road, don’t hesitate to contact local law enforcement;
- If you know someone who is about to drive or
ride while impaired, take their keys and help them make other
arrangements to get to where they are going safely.
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