State Police to Crackdown on 'Impaired and Distracted' Drivers over Memorial Day Weekend

In addition to county and local police, state police will crackdown on impaired and distracted drivers over Memorial Day Weekend as part of STOP-DWI, Gov. Andrew Cuomo today announced.

Stepped up enforcement on state roads and thruways will begin tonight, May 22 and run through Monday, May 25.

“Ensuring the safety of motorists and passengers on New York roadways is top priority of this administration and driving under the influence or while distracted will simply will not be tolerated,” said Cuomo in a statement. “I urge all motorists to be safe this Memorial Day weekend and to exercise caution when getting behind the wheel.”

• Related: County Police to Step Up DWI Enforcement over Memorial Day Weekend

On Memorial Day weekend in 2014, New York State Troopers arrested more than 235 people for driving while intoxicated and issued more than 12,000 tickets, according to Cuomo.

State Police Superintendent Joseph D’Amico added, “As we remember the men and women who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation, we encourage all motorists to drive safely. We are reminding motorists to buckle up, obey speed limits, and put down any electronic devices when behind the wheel. If you plan on drinking, designate a sober ride home to keep yourself and others safe on our roadways. Troopers will be highly visible throughout the weekend.”

According to the National Highway Safety Administration, drunk driving kills more than 10,000 people every year.

Drivers can expect to see sobriety checkpoints and more troopers on major highways during this holiday weekend. Troopers will be using both marked State Police vehicles and Concealed Identity Traffic Enforcement (CITE) vehicles as part of this crackdown in order to more easily identify motorists who are violating the law. CITE vehicles allow Troopers to better observe driving violations. These vehicles blend in with every day traffic but are unmistakable as emergency vehicles once the emergency lighting is activated.

This targeted enforcement effort is funded by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee and STOP-DWI, a comprehensive and financially self-sustaining highway safety program that allows participating counties to qualify for the return of all fines collected for alcohol and other drug-related traffic offenses.

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