Over 900 Were for Impaired Driving
Governor Kathy Hochul announced on March 27 that law enforcement agencies throughout the state issued 24,699 tickets for various vehicle and traffic law violations, including 935 tickets for impaired driving, during a statewide mobilization targeting impaired drivers on St. Patrick’s Day weekend. The enforcement period ran from March 15 to March 17.
“As I have said many times in the past, New York will be resolute in removing impaired and reckless drivers from our roadways,” Hochul said. “I want to thank our law enforcement officers for their continued commitment to protecting and keeping New Yorkers safe.”
During the campaign, state and local law enforcement officers utilized sobriety checkpoints and increased patrols to deter, identify and arrest impaired drivers. The statewide initiative was funded by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC).
As part of the enforcement, law enforcement officers also targeted speeding and aggressive drivers across the state. Of all the tickets issued, 4,600 were for speeding, followed by impaired driving (935), seatbelt violations (625), distracted driving (215) and failure to move over for a disabled vehicle (100). In addition, 18,351 tickets were issued for other violations.
The St. Patrick’s Day impaired driving enforcement campaign is one of the several coordinated initiatives sponsored by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) to reduce alcohol and other drug-related traffic crashes. These targeted mobilizations provide resources to law enforcement statewide to target underage drinking and increase DWI patrols and sobriety check points during the campaign period. Other impaired driving campaigns occur around Independence Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and periods of time from August to September and December to January.
“These mobilizations are coordinated at times of the year when we know there is a higher likelihood of individuals driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and they strengthen the ability of law enforcement to protect everyone on our roads during those periods,” NYS Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner and GTSC Chair Mark J.F. Schroeder explained. “This is not about ruining anyone’s celebration — it’s about making sure everyone gets home safely, and the result of these efforts clearly show why they are so important.”