The Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) announced that law enforcement agencies throughout the state issued 919 tickets for impaired driving during the STOP-DWI “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign, which ran from February 11, 2022, through February 14, 2022.
During that same time, officers also issued 26,479 tickets for other vehicle and traffic law violations such as speeding and distracted driving.
“Ensuring safety on our roadways is a top priority in New York State and we have zero tolerance for impaired or reckless drivers who put themselves and others sharing the road in danger,” said Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner and GTSC Chair Mark Schroeder. “The results show if you drive impaired you will be caught and held accountable. I also want to thank law enforcement across the state for their commitment to keeping our roads safe.”
The STOP-DWI “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign, supported by the GTSC, occurs multiple times throughout the year to reduce alcohol and other drug-related traffic crashes. Here is the full breakdown of the violations and tickets issued:
| Violation | Number of Tickets |
| Move Over Law | 102 |
| Seatbelt | 694 |
| Distracted Driving | 859 |
| Impaired Driving | 919 |
| Speeding | 5,926 |
| Other Violations | 18,898 |
| Grand Total | 27,398 |
The STOP-DWI program is a major component of New York’s efforts to combat impaired driving. STOP-DWI stands for “Special Traffic Options Program for Driving While Intoxicated.” The program’s efforts are funded from fines paid by convicted impaired drivers. Importantly, the program’s coordinators are comprised of diverse professional backgrounds, including law enforcement and non-law enforcement.
Under GTSC oversight, STOP-DWI was created to empower counties to coordinate local efforts to reduce alcohol and other drug-related traffic crashes. All 62 counties have opted to participate. Some examples of programs that STOP-DWI funds include specially trained police units dedicated to DWI enforcement, hiring of special prosecutors and probation officers to handle the caseload, monitoring ignition interlock devices, supporting rehabilitation services, and developing public information and education campaigns tailored to communities within their respective regions. To learn more, visit http://www.stopdwi.org/.
In addition to STOP-DWI, the GTSC supports training for Drug Recognition Experts (DRE). DREs are specially trained officers utilized by law enforcement when a driver appears to be impaired, but police have ruled out alcohol as the cause or sole cause of impairment. A DRE receives extensive training that has been approved by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the International Association of Chiefs of Police. The training allows officers to observe and document signs and indicators of impairment within each of seven drug categories including illicit and prescription drugs.
