Governor Kathy Hochul today announced law enforcement agencies throughout the state issued 24,699 tickets for various vehicle and traffic law violations, including 935 tickets for impaired driving, during a statewide mobilization targeting impaired drivers before, during and after St. Patrick’s Day. The enforcement period ran from March 15, 2024, through March 17, 2024.
“As I have said many times in the past, New York will be resolute in removing impaired and reckless drivers from our roadways,” Governor Hochul said. “I want to thank our law enforcement officers for their continued commitment to protecting and keeping New Yorkers safe.”
During the campaign, State and local law enforcement officers utilized sobriety checkpoints and increased patrols to deter, identify and arrest impaired drivers. The statewide initiative was funded by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC).
Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner and GTSC Chair Mark J.F. Schroeder said, “These mobilizations are coordinated at times of the year when we know there is a higher likelihood of individuals driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, and they strengthen the ability of law enforcement to protect everyone on our roads during those periods. This is not about ruining anyone’s celebration—it’s about making sure everyone gets home safely, and the result of these efforts clearly show why they are so important.”
As part of the enforcement, law enforcement officers also targeted speeding and aggressive drivers across the state. Below is a breakdown of the total tickets that were issued.
| Violation | Number of Tickets |
| Impaired Driving | 935 |
| Distracted Driving | 219 |
| Move Over | 100 |
| Speeding | 4,600 |
| Seatbelt | 625 |
| Other Violations | 18,351 |
| Grand Total | 24,699 |
The St. Patrick’s Day impaired driving enforcement campaign is one of the several coordinated initiatives sponsored by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) to reduce alcohol and other drug-related traffic crashes. These targeted mobilizations provide resources to law enforcement statewide to target underage drinking and increase DWI patrols and sobriety check points during the campaign period. Other impaired driving campaigns occur around Independence Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and periods of time from August to September and December to January.
New Yorkers struggling with an addiction, or whose loved ones are struggling, can find help and hope by calling the state’s toll-free, 24-hour, 7-day-a-week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (Short Code 467369).
Available addiction treatment including crisis/detox, inpatient, community residence, or outpatient care can be found using the NYS OASAS Treatment Availability Dashboard at FindAddictionTreatment.ny.gov or through the NYS OASAS website.
For more information about GTSC, visit https://trafficsafety.ny.gov/, or follow the GTSC conversation at Facebook and Twitter.
Source: governor.ny.gov – Midtown Tribune news –
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