Hochul announces statewide crackdown on Thanksgiving unsafe driving

ALBANY, NY (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY) — Ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the New York State Police will be increasing patrols to crack down on unsafe driving.

The special enforcement period — funded by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee — will run from Wednesday, November 22 through Sunday, November 26 and will focus on impaired and distracted driving, as well as the enforcement of the state’s Move Over Law.

“The Thanksgiving holiday is one of the busiest travel times of the year, and our goal is to ensure that everyone gets where they need to go safely,” Governor Hochul said in a statement. “State Troopers and local law enforcement will be out in force working to prevent needless accidents. I urge drivers to follow the rules of the road and make safety your top priority while traveling this holiday season.”

In an effort to ease travel, the governor also announced that temporary lane closures on New York State highways will be suspended beginning at 6 am on Wednesday, November 22 through 6 am on Monday, November 27. Motorists are advised that some work may continue behind concrete barriers for emergency repairs.

State police will be supplementing regular patrols from local police and county sheriffs during the crackdown, which will include fixed sobriety checkpoints. Police will also use Concealed Identity Traffic Enforcement (CITE) vehicles to better locate distracted drivers.

“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,” Acting New York State Police Superintendent Dominick Chiumento said in a statement. “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.”

During the governor’s crackdown in 2022, troopers arrested 213 drivers for Driving While Intoxicated. They also issued almost 4,600 tickets for speeding and another 425 for distracted driving.

The governor also reminded motorists that their “Have a Plan” mobile app is available for all 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 tools to report impaired drivers. Driving drunk or drugged may put motorists at risk of arrest, jail time, and substantial fines and attorney fees.