Police Crack Down on Speeding and Impaired Driving

Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that the New York State Police — along with local law enforcement — will conduct special traffic enforcement efforts during the upcoming Columbus Day weekend to crack down on speeding and impaired motorists. The Columbus Day campaign began on Thursday, Oct. 10, and runs through Monday, Oct. 14. Troopers expect increased traffic volumes due to the holiday weekend and fall tourism, which poses additional risks on our roadways.

“The tragic consequences of impaired and reckless driving are avoidable if we all make safety our top priority,” Governor Hochul said. “I echo law enforcement in reminding drivers to obey posted speed limits, move over for emergency and maintenance vehicles, and do not drive if you are impaired. Your choices will affect the safety of your fellow New Yorkers — acting responsibly will prevent the senseless tragedies caused by speeding and impaired driving.”

New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “During this campaign, State Police and our law enforcement partners will be highly visible and looking for motorists driving in an unsafe manner. By making safe choices, the injuries and deaths caused by speeding and drunk driving are completely preventable. As always, we will have zero tolerance for those who endanger others by driving recklessly.”

New York State Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder said, “Whenever a long weekend comes, you can expect more travelers to be on the road. We applaud our partners in law enforcement for these extra patrols to keep drivers safe, and we urge everyone driving this weekend to focus on the road, avoid distractions, and drive safe and sober.”

Motorists who are traveling this weekend can expect to encounter sobriety checkpoints and additional driving while intoxicated (DWI) patrols. Law enforcement will also be looking for motorists who are using their phones and other electronic devices while they are behind the wheel. Drivers should also remember to make room for emergency and hazard vehicles and to move over if those vehicles are stopped on the side of the road.

Troopers will be using both marked State Police vehicles and Concealed Identity Traffic Enforcement (CITE) vehicles as part of this crackdown to more easily identify motorists who are violating the law. CITE vehicles allow the Trooper to better observe driving violations — these vehicles blend in with everyday traffic, but are unmistakable as emergency vehicles once the emergency lighting is activated.

During last year’s Columbus Day enforcement period, State Police issued 11,571 total tickets — 4,926 of which were for speeding violations — and arrested 138 individuals for DWI.

State Police are reminding all motorists to be safe, not to drink and drive, stay off mobile phones while driving, drive the speed limit, and buckle up all passengers. The main goal of this initiative is to deter unsafe driving behaviors and raise awareness of the importance of traffic safety.

The traffic enforcement period is partially 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 on Apple, Droid and Windows smartphones. The app enables New Yorkers to locate and call a taxi service, and program a designated driver list — it also provides information on DWI laws and penalties, and a way to report a suspected impaired driver.