Summer's End DWI Crackdown Starts Friday In New York

Maybe you're not ready for summer to end, but don't drink and drive in a last hurrah. If you do, you're bound to be caught up in New York's part of the national “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign, which state and local police are starting Friday.

The crackdown starts Aug. 17 and runs through Labor Day, which is Sept. 3.

New Yorkers drive a lot during the last few weeks of summer through Labor Day weekend, state officials said. And there are lots of end-of-summer celebrations -- ones that include alcohol. So, this increased flow of traffic brings with it increased accidents, serious injuries and fatalities. Over Labor Day Weekend last year, the State Police made 193 DWI arrests and issued more than 21,900 tickets.

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"Traffic safety is a top priority, and each day Troopers work to ensure the well-being of all those who utilize New York’s roadways," Superintendent George P. Beach II said. "During this campaign, we will step up our enforcement efforts to remove intoxicated, drug impaired and distracted drivers from our roadways. While we want everyone to enjoy the final few weeks of summer, we want them to do so responsibly. We have zero tolerance for reckless individuals who choose to drive while impaired.”

On average, one person is killed every 50 minutes in an alcohol-impaired driving crash. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, drunk driving killed 10,497 people in 2016.

New York drivers can expect to see sobriety checkpoints during the campaign, along with more troopers on major highways. In addition to the DWI checkpoints and patrols, troopers will also be watching for distracted or impaired drivers, vehicle occupants who are not properly buckled up, and drivers that are violating the Move Over Law.

Fair warning: During the campaign, troopers will be using both marked State Police vehicles and Concealed Identity Traffic Enforcement (CITE) vehicles as part of the operation. The CITE vehicles allow troopers to more easily identify motorists who are using handheld devices while driving. CITE vehicles allow the trooper to better observe distracted driving violations. These vehicles blend in with every day traffic, but are unmistakable as emergency vehicles once the emergency lighting is activated.

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