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Starting on Wednesday, Dec. 13, and lasting through Monday, Jan. 1, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that the New York State Police would join in on the national “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign.
During the campaign, additional patrols will be out on the road, and DWI checkpoints will be set up to ensure any person driving under the influence is taken off the road.
Hochul said troopers would also be on the lookout for distracted driving, people who are not properly buckled, and those who violate the “Move Over Law” requiring driving cautiously when emergency vehicles are nearby.
"Impaired driving is reckless, dangerous and illegal, and we have zero tolerance for it on New York's roadways," Hochul said. “We’re sending a clear message this holiday season that those in violation of our vehicle and traffic laws will be ticketed or face criminal charges.”
The governor offered New Yorkers the free “Have a Plan” app, available on Apple, Android, and Windows phones, which offers quick links to cab services, ride shares, and more.
Additionally, she reminded drivers that park-and-ride facilities, rest stops, parking lots, and service areas will be available as text stops along highways.
From 11 p.m. on New Year’s Eve until 7 a.m. on New Year’s morning, the New York State Thruway Authority will offer free coffee and hot tea to drivers on the Thruway to promote alert driving, an annual tradition by the group.
In 2021, the most recent available year of drunk driving data, 13,384 people were killed in DWI crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
And in December 2021 alone, there were more than 1,000 fatalities during drunk driving crashes – a nearly 15-year high.
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