New York State Will Be Cracking Down on Holiday Season Drunk driving

New York State Police will be in full force for these final days of 2024 in order to crack down on unsafe driving behaviors during the upcoming holiday. The special traffic enforcement period will run through New Year's Day.

"The State Police enforcement statewide will include fixed sobriety checkpoints, which targets distracted drivers by utilizing Concealed Identity Traffic Enforcement (CITE) patrol vehicles to better locate drivers talking or texting on handheld devices. "These unmarked vehicles blend in with everyday traffic but are unmistakable as emergency vehicles once the emergency lighting is activated"  NYS Police

AAA is estimating record levels of traffic through the weekend following New Year's Day, and that combined with elevated alcohol consumption can be a recipe for tragedy, according to State Police. During the 2023 Thanksgiving holiday, 178 drivers for arrested by Troopers for DWI, 4,349 speeding tickets were issued, and there were 362 tickets for distracted driving.

If you drive drunk or drugged, you not only put your life and the lives of others at risk, you could face arrest, jail time, and substantial fines and attorney fees. The average drinking and driving arrest costs up to $10,000.

Arrested drunk and drugged drivers face the loss of their driver’s license, higher insurance rates, and dozens of unanticipated expenses from attorney fees, fines and court costs, car towing and repairs, and lost time at work.

The New York State Police, GTSC and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommend these simple tips to prevent impaired driving:

•Plan a safe way home before the fun begins;

•Before drinking, designate a sober driver;

•If you’re impaired, use a taxi or ride sharing service, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation;

•Use your community’s sober ride program;

•If you suspect a driver is drunk or impaired on the road, don’t hesitate to contact local law enforcement;

•If you know someone who is about to drive or ride while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.