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As Thanksgiving approaches, police across New York State are ramping up patrols to ensure safe travel during the holiday season. Governor Kathy Hochul announced on Saturday (November 22) that the New York State Police and local law enforcement agencies will focus on targeting impaired and reckless driving through Sunday (November 30).
The initiative, funded by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, aims to address various unsafe driving behaviors, including violations of the state's Move Over Law. During the 2024 enforcement period, over 10,000 tickets were issued, and 1,705 drivers were arrested for impaired driving.
New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James emphasized the importance of driver safety, stating, "Every year, there are preventable tragedies and a wake of victims left behind because of the decisions made by reckless and impaired drivers."
To support these efforts, the State Police will use fixed sobriety checkpoints and Concealed Identity Traffic Enforcement (CITE) patrol vehicles to identify distracted drivers. These unmarked vehicles blend in with regular traffic but are equipped with emergency lighting for enforcement.
To ease holiday travel, lane closures for road and bridge construction on New York State highways will be suspended from 6 a.m. on Wednesday (November 26) to 6 a.m. on Monday (December 1). Additionally, the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee and the New York State STOP-DWI Foundation offer a "Have a Plan" mobile app to help motorists find taxis or rideshare services and learn about DWI laws and penalties.