Governor Announces Impaired Driving Crackdown from Now Through January 1

ALBANY – Governor Andrew Cuomo Wednesday announced that state and local law enforcement agencies throughout New York will be stepping up patrols to crack down on impaired driving during the busy holiday travel season.

The enforcement campaign will run from Wednesday, Dec. 11 through Wednesday, Jan. 1. Part of the national “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” initiative, the governor’s office said the crackdown is designed to reduce alcohol and drug-related traffic crashes. It is sponsored by Special Traffic Options Program for Driving While Intoxicated, with funding from the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee.

“We want New Yorkers to travel safely so they can celebrate the holidays with their friends and families,” Governor Cuomo said. “I am asking every driver to consider the danger they pose to themselves and others when they choose to drive impaired. There will be zero tolerance for impaired driving, and state and local law enforcement will be highly visible to ensure that every impaired driver is caught and held accountable.”

To kick off the enforcement campaign, a press event was held today at Crossgates Mall in Albany. GTSC and Department of Motor Vehicles officials were joined by state and local law enforcement and STOP-DWI coordinators from across the state. Following the event, shoppers had an opportunity to wear specialized goggles that demonstrate the effects of drug and alcohol impairment and to better understand how a person’s ability to drive is impacted by using drugs or alcohol.

During the 2018 enforcement campaign, law enforcement throughout the state arrested 4,142 people for impaired driving and issued 144,197 tickets for other vehicle and traffic law violations.

A major component of New York’s efforts to combat impaired driving is the Special Traffic Options Program for Driving While Intoxicated. The state’s STOP-DWI program is the nation’s first self-sustaining impaired driving program. The program is funded from fines paid by convicted impaired drivers. Program coordinators are comprised of diverse professional backgrounds, including law enforcement and non-law enforcement.