New York State Police To Increase Presence On Roads and Highways

A lot of Americans will be traveling for the long Thanksgiving weekend. According to AAA, this Thanksgiving is expected to be the busiest in several years, with an estimated more than 55.4 million people on the roads and in the skies.

CNN says more than 49 million of those travelers will be driving. This time of year can also be unfortunately very tragic for some, according to statistics.

Statistics 

The National Safety Council estimates that 507 people may die on the roads this Thanksgiving holiday period. According to the NSC, alcohol consumption is a major contributing factor to motor vehicle crashes.

More New York State Police On the Roads

The New York State Police said in a press release that they will participate in a special traffic enforcement initiative to crack down on unsafe driving behaviors during the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. By unsafe, officials say they will be targeting drivers they believe are impaired, or ones who may be distracted.

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The special traffic enforcement period runs from Wednesday, November 22, 2023, through Sunday, November 26, 2023.

State Police said during the 2022 Thanksgiving holiday period, troopers arrested 213 drivers for DWI, issued 4,757 speeding tickets, and 425 tickets for distracted driving.

New York State Police Say Pursuit Through the Catskills Leads to DWI Arrest

The New York State Police said in a press release that a State Trooper was patrolling near the intersection of Route 32 and  Route 23a when they observed a white 2019 Honda Civic traveling north at a high rate of speed. When the Trooper tried to stop the vehicle, the suspect allegedly sped off.

The operator of the vehicle, later identified as a 19-year-old man from Greenville, New York, did not stop and attempted to elude the Trooper. The chase was now underway on State Route 32, and would eventually enter the town of Cairo.

It was not long after when State Police say the driver lost control of the vehicle, left the road of the west shoulder, and struck a tree.

Injuries and Charges 

There were two underage passengers in the vehicle one who sustained minor injuries, says police.

The suspect was charged with Driving While Intoxicated, though State Police did not indicate how much he had had to drink, or if he had refused a breathalyzer.