Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that the New York State Police, along with local law enforcement, will conduct special traffic enforcement efforts during the upcoming Columbus Day weekend to combat speeding and impaired driving. The Columbus Day campaign began on Thursday, October 10 and will run until Monday, October 14. Officers expect increased traffic volume due to the holiday weekend and fall tourism, which poses additional risks on our roadways.
“The tragic consequences of impaired and reckless driving are avoidable if we all make safety our top priority,” he said. Governor Hochul. “I echo law enforcement in reminding drivers to observe posted speed limits, pull over for emergency and maintenance vehicles, and do not drive if impaired. “Your decisions will affect the safety of your fellow New Yorkers – acting responsibly will prevent the senseless tragedies caused by speeding and drunk driving.”
New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. Jamessaid: “During this campaign, state police and our law enforcement partners will be highly visible and will be looking out for motorists who are driving unsafely. By making safe decisions, injuries and deaths caused by speeding and drunk driving are completely preventable. “As always, we will have zero tolerance for those who endanger others by driving recklessly.”
New York State Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Mark JF Schroeder said: “Whenever a long weekend rolls around, you can expect more travelers to be on the road. We applaud our law enforcement partners for these additional patrols to keep drivers safe, and we urge everyone driving this weekend to focus on the road, avoid distractions, and drive safely and soberly. ”.
Motorists traveling this weekend can expect to encounter sobriety checkpoints and additional DWI patrols. Law enforcement will also look for drivers who use their phones and other electronic devices while behind the wheel. Drivers should also remember to leave room for emergency and hazard vehicles and move to the other lane if those vehicles are stopped on the side of the road.
Officers will use marked State Police vehicles as well as Concealed Identity Traffic Police (CITE) vehicles as part of this campaign to more easily identify drivers who are breaking the law. CITE vehicles allow officers to better observe traffic violations: these vehicles blend into everyday traffic, but are unmistakable as emergency vehicles once the emergency lighting is activated.
During last year’s Columbus Day enforcement period, State Police issued 11,571 total tickets, 4,926 of which were for speeding violations, and arrested 138 people for drunk driving.
State Police remind all drivers to be safe, not to drink and drive, not to use cell phones while driving, to drive at the speed limit and for all passengers to fasten their seat belts. The main objective of this initiative is to deter unsafe driving behaviors and raise awareness about the importance of road safety.
The traffic enforcement period is funded in part by the Governor’s Highway Safety Committee (GTSC). GTSC and the New York State STOP-DWI Foundation remind drivers that their “Have a Plan” mobile application It is available on Apple, Droid and Windows smartphones. The app allows New Yorkers to locate and call a taxi service, and schedule a list of designated drivers; It also provides information about the laws and penalties for driving under the influence, and a way to report a driver suspected of being under the influence.
