Central New York Ranks High in Thanksgiving DWI Arrests During Holiday Crackdown

The New York State Police are constantly conducting reckless driving and DWI crackdowns during major holiday periods. The most recent crackdown happened over the Thanksgiving holiday and drivers in the Central New York region didn't fare well when it came to the results.

During the Thanksgiving holiday traffic enforcement from November 23 to December 1, 2024, New York State Police issued 24,191 tickets statewide. The campaign, funded by the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee, included sobriety checkpoints, DWI patrols, and enforcement against distracted driving. Troopers arrested 251 individuals for DWI and investigated 1,259 crashes, including three fatal ones.

When it comes to the crackdown period, the members of Troop D in Central New York out of Oneida, issued the third highest number of DWI arrests. During the enforcement period, there were a total of 26 drunk driving arrests out of Troop D. The second highest was Long Island with 27 and the Western Hudson Valley had the most DWI arrests with 46.

The chart below, courtesy of The New York State Police, shows the full breakdown of all violations and the breakdown by Troop and regions of the state.

When it comes to other categories, Central New York wasn't as highly ranked as it was with DWI arrests. Each and every region of the state needs to be more conscious when it comes to serious offenses such as distracted and drunk driving. Three fatal crashes are three too many and there should be no fatal accidents. It's never easy for a family to receive the news that they've lost a loved one due to a preventable incident. There will no doubt be other crackdowns by state police and other law enforcement as the holiday season continues.