State steps up police patrols over holidays

Bill San Antonio

Additional state troopers will be deployed to roadways in the next few weeks to monitor unsafe driving habits as part of a national law enforcement initiative to reduce drunk-driving during the holiday season, state officials said Friday.

The state will also increase sobriety checkpoints and unmarked police vehicles patrolling major highways in conjunction with “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, which began Friday and will continue through Jan. 1.

“Safety comes first for the New York State Police for our troopers and the drivers and passengers we serve on New York State’s roadways,” said state police Superintendent Joseph D’Amico in a statement. “We want everyone to have a happy holiday – but we also want you to have a safe one. Impaired drivers cause needless deaths and injuries. Have a plan and you could save a life – maybe even your own.”

More than 38,000 tickets were issued during last year’s campaign, according to statistics provided by Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office. More than 11,000 motorists were ticketed for speeding and 1,500 for distracted driving. More than 630 were arrested on drunk driving charges.

During the 2012 holiday season, 1,698 Americans were killed on roadways, with about a third coming from drunk driving-related incidents, according to the governor’s office. 

In addition to impaired and distracted driving, state officials said police also plan to monitor violations of the “Move Over Law” that requires motorists to proceed with caution while passing emergency vehicles and others stopped along the side of roadways. 

“This stepped up enforcement – combined with a national campaign against drunk driving – will keep New Yorkers safe and help prevent needless tragedies from ever occurring,” Cuomo said in a statement.

Cuomo’s office did not disclose how many additional troopers, vehicles and checkpoints would be deployed during the holiday season.

State police on Friday also participated in the year’s third “Safety Without Borders” program, in which law enforcement agencies from the northeastern United States and Canada work beyond their jurisdictions to combat the most dangerous traffic violations. More than 3,000 tickets were issued in the previous “Safety Without Borders” programs.

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