ALBANY – Governor Andrew Cuomo announced on Tuesday that New York State Police and law enforcement agencies statewide will be ramping up enforcement of impaired driving from Wednesday, August 19 through Labor Day, Monday, September 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,” said Cuomo. “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, according to statistics provided by NYS. 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 blitz, law enforcement will be stepping up patrols, and the NYS 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 the state issued 4,995 tickets for impaired driving and 170,378 tickets for other vehicle and traffic law violations.
The Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) and the New York State STOP-DWI Foundation also remind motorists that their “Have a Plan” mobile app, is available for Apple, Android and Windows 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 a way to report a suspected impaired driver.
