Over 2K tickets issued during ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ campaign
ALBANY, N.Y. » The Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) recently announced that law enforcement agencies throughout the state issued 2,586 tickets for impaired driving during the STOP-DWI “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign, which ran from Aug. 20 through Sept. 6. During that time, officers also issued 94,075 tickets for other vehicle and traffic law violations, such as speeding and distracted driving.
“Impaired driving is a reckless decision that puts all those sharing the road in danger and New York State has zero tolerance for it,” DMV Commissioner and GTSC Chair Mark J.F. Schroeder said.
“The enforcement campaign showed impaired drivers will be caught and held accountable. The message is simple: drive sober or plan for a safe ride to your destination,” Schroeder added.
The STOP-DWI “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign, supported by GTSC, occurs multiple times throughout the year to reduce alcohol and other drug-related traffic crashes. The following tickets were issued during this campaign: Impaired Driving: 2,586 Distracted Driving: 2,835 Move Over Law: 685 Other Violations: 62,797 Seatbelt: 3,498 Speeding: 24,260
Grand Total: 96,661
Last year, there was a rise in fatal impaired-driving crashes. There were 378 fatal impaireddriving crashes in 2019, compared to 408 fatal impaired crashes in 2020, according to preliminary data from the Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research, and there were far more serious injuries as a result of those avoidable crashes.
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 STOPDWI 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 from diverse profes
sional backgrounds, including law enforcement and non-law enforcement.
The STOP-DWI program was created to empower counties to coordinate local efforts to reduce alcohol and other drug-related traffic crashes. All 62 counties have opted to participate. Additionally, GTSC and STOP-DWI also remind motorists that their “Have a Plan” mobile app is available for Apple, Android, and Windows smartphones. The app enables New Yorkers to locate and call a taxi or rideshare service and program a designated driver list. To learn more, visit http://www.stopdwi.org/.
In addition to STOPDWI, the GTSC supports training for Drug Recognition Experts. DREs are specially trained officers utilized by law enforcement when a driver appears to be impaired, but police have ruled out alcohol as the cause or sole cause of impairment. Each DRE receives extensive training that has been approved by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the International Association of Chiefs of Police. Training allows officers to observe and document signs and indicators of impairment within each of seven drug categories including illicit and prescription drugs.