(WNY News Now) Governor Kathy Hochul launched a statewide crackdown on reckless and intoxicated driving through the Thanksgiving weekend, and state officials are acting swiftly to ensure safe holiday travel.
State Police and other law enforcement agencies around the state will step up patrols during Thanksgiving weekend to combat irresponsible and intoxicated driving, Governor Kathy Hochul announced today. The Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee-funded special enforcement period, which runs from Saturday, November 23 to Sunday, December 1, will also focus on other risky driving practices, such as breaking the Move Over Law.
Governor Hochul stated, “We want everyone to safely reach their friends and loved ones as Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the busiest travel season of the year.” I want to express my gratitude to our troopers and local law enforcement for their efforts to keep our highways safe on Thanksgiving and during the holidays. When you observe cars stopped on the side of the road, I encourage drivers to be vigilant, stay sober, and move over.
During the Thanksgiving holiday, traffic volume significantly increases. Additionally, it is a season linked to higher rates of alcohol consumption. Law enforcement officials issued 7,656 speeding fines, 970 tickets for inattentive driving, and detained 1,342 drivers for DWI during the Thanksgiving holiday in 2023.
“Drunk and impaired driving is a common threat on our roads that we continuously fight,” stated Steven G. James, superintendent of the New York State Police. Enforcing traffic laws is essential to everyone’s safety and the intention of having a safe holiday. In the continuous endeavor to deter, identify, and capture drunk and intoxicated drivers, the New York State Police is pleased to join our law enforcement partners.
Thanksgiving is a time to enjoy getting together with friends and family, according to Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles. The repercussions of driving under the influence might permanently ruin those holiday memories. The danger is just not worth it. In order to maintain the safety of New York’s roads, our law enforcement officers will be spending this holiday season away from their families.
One of the busiest times of the year is Thanksgiving, when drivers travel all across the state to visit their loved ones, according to Marie Therese Dominguez, commissioner of the state department of transportation. As law enforcement agencies concentrate on road safety measures, we will be halting construction works through the holiday weekend to make travel safer and easier for everyone. We need drivers to prioritize safe driving practices since everyone wants to arrive at their events and festivities in a safe manner. This mostly means that you should not drive when intoxicated; instead, you should buckle up, put your phone away, and focus on your driving. Let’s all do our share to make sure that everyone in New York has a safe and joyous Thanksgiving.
Frank G. Hoare, executive director of the New York State Thruway Authority, stated: “We encourage drivers to remain vigilant, avoid driving while intoxicated or distracted, and make safe decisions when driving because there is an increase in traffic on New York’s roads during the holiday season.” Over the holiday weekend, our staff and emergency personnel will continue to serve clients on the road, and at the end of the day, they want to return home to their loved ones. We appreciate our New York State Police Troop T colleagues’ efforts to keep drivers safe by patrolling the Thruway.
Concealed Identity Traffic Enforcement (CITE) patrol vehicles and fixed sobriety checkpoints will be used by the State Police to augment routine patrols throughout the state in order to better identify distracted drivers and those using handheld devices for texting or chatting. Once the emergency lighting is turned on, these unmarked cars may be easily identified as emergency vehicles even if they mix in with regular traffic.
Arrests for drunk driving can cost up to $10,000 on average. Drivers who are arrested while under the influence of alcohol or drugs risk losing their license, having their insurance rates raised, and incurring other unforeseen costs, such as legal fees, penalties, auto repairs and towing, and missed work.
Drivers are reminded by the New York State STOP-DWI Foundation and the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) that their Have a Plan mobile app is accessible on Windows, Android, and Apple smartphones. New Yorkers can use the app to find and contact a ridesharing or taxi service, as well as set up a designated driver list. It also offers a method to report a suspected drunk motorist and details on DWI laws and punishments.
Suspended Construction Closures
To facilitate travel over the busy holiday weekend, temporary lane closures for road and bridge construction projects on New York State highways will be suspended from 6 a.m. on Wednesday, November 27 to 6 a.m. on Monday, December 2. This is in addition to increased patrols for impaired and distracted drivers. This is in line with New York State’s Drivers First Initiative, which puts drivers’ convenience first in order to reduce traffic jams and delays brought on by road and bridge construction. For urgent repairs or behind permanent concrete barriers, some work might go on.
Drivers must abide by the state’s Move Over Law, which was amended in March to mandate that they slow down and yield to any stopped cars on the road, regardless of lane closures. When cars failed to move over, two Thruway Authority employees were killed and one was gravely hurt in separate instances in 2024 as they were working on the Thruway. Drivers are urged by the New York State Department of Transportation and the Thruway Authority to remain vigilant, reduce their speed, and yield when they see a car on the side of the road. They are responsible for the lives of emergency personnel, road workers, and employees.
The State’s efforts to curb distracted driving are aided by text stops, which include park-and-ride lots, rest stops, service areas, and parking lots along state highways. Every text stop will stay open, offering places where drivers can use their phones and other mobile devices for messaging, calling, navigating, and accessing apps in a secure and practical manner. Because it forces drivers to take their hands off the wheel, their eyes off the road, and their minds off driving, texting and driving is particularly dangerous.
The NYS Sheriffs Association Craig DuMond, the president and sheriff of Delaware County, stated that Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to spend with loved ones. Don’t let driving while intoxicated or under the influence of drugs ruin your life or the life of another person. Enjoy the long holiday weekend and make sure you have a strategy to avoid driving while intoxicated, according to the New York State Sheriffs.
“Let’s give the gift of safe travels during this season of gratitude,” said Shawn Heubusch, chief of the City of Batavia Police Department and president of the New York State Association of Chiefs of Police. Your loved ones are waiting for you at home, so stay vigilant, buckle up, and drive carefully.