Expect To See More Police Cars On New York Roads Until Labor Day

New York State Police and police across New York will be increasing enforcement on roads until Labor Day.

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced that New York State Police and law enforcement agencies statewide will be ramping up enforcement of impaired driving until Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 7.

The STOP-DWI "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" campaign is designed to reduce alcohol and other drug-related traffic crashes.

"There is no excuse for driving impaired - it's reckless and puts not only yourself but everyone else on the road in danger," Cuomo said. "We have zero tolerance for this irresponsible behavior and we're stepping up patrols to send a clear message: If you drink and drive, you will be caught and you will be held accountable."

New York's efforts to reduce impaired driving through targeted education and enforcement initiatives, like this crackdown, are working, officials say. Fatal crashes involving an impaired driver have decreased over 19 percent from 2010 to 2019, according to preliminary data from the Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research at the University at Albany's Rockefeller College.

Throughout this enforcement crackdown, law enforcement will be stepping up patrols, and the New York Stat Thruway Authority and State Department of Transportation will have Variable Message Signs alerting motorists to the consequences of impaired driving to help deter this dangerous behavior.

During the 2019 enforcement campaign, law enforcement throughout New York issued 4,995 tickets for impaired driving and 170,378 tickets for other vehicle and traffic law violations.

"Driving while impaired by drugs or alcohol is a costly decision—from fines and legal fees to, most significantly, lives lost. It compromises the safety of everyone sharing the road, but it is 100 percent preventable. The choice is simple—plan ahead so you and everyone on the road get to your destinations safely," Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner and Chair of the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee Mark J.F. Schroeder said.