35,508 Tickets Issued During 2023 Mobilization
One of Several Annual Alcohol- and Drug-Related Enforcement Campaigns Funded by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee
Construction Closures Temporarily Suspended To Ease Holiday Travel
Governor Kathy Hochul announced that State Police and local law enforcement agencies throughout the State will increase patrols through Thanksgiving weekend, targeting impaired and reckless driving. The special enforcement period, an initiative funded by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, runs from Saturday, November 23 through Sunday, December 1 and will also target other unsafe driving behaviors like Move Over Law violations.
“Thanksgiving kicks off the busiest travel season of the year, and we want everyone to reach their friends and loved ones safely,” Governor Hochul said. “I thank our troopers and local law enforcement for working on Thanksgiving and throughout the holidays to help keep our roads safe. I urge drivers to stay alert, stay sober, and move over when you see vehicles stopped on the side of the road.”
Major increases in traffic volume occur during the Thanksgiving holiday period. It is also a time of the year that is associated with increased alcohol use. During the 2023 Thanksgiving holiday period, law enforcement officers arrested 1,342 drivers for DWI, issued 7,656 speeding tickets and 970 tickets for distracted driving.
New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “A common threat on our roads that we continually fight is impaired and drunk driving. Traffic enforcement is imperative to everyone’s well-being and the goal of making this holiday a safe one. The New York State Police proudly joins our law enforcement partners in the ongoing effort to discourage, detect and apprehend impaired and drunk drivers.”
Construction Closures Suspended
In addition to increased impaired and distracted driving patrols, to help ease travel during the busy holiday weekend, temporary lane closures for road and bridge construction projects on New York State highways will be suspended beginning 6 a.m. on Wednesday, November 27 to 6 a.m. on Monday, December 2. This aligns with New York State’s Drivers First Initiative, which prioritizes the convenience of motorists to minimize traffic congestion and travel delays due to road and bridge work. Some work may continue behind permanent concrete barriers, or for emergency repairs.
Regardless of lane closures, drivers must follow the State’s Move Over Law, which was expanded in March to require drivers to slow down and move over for all vehicles stopped along the roadway. In 2024, two Thruway Authority employees were killed, and another was seriously injured in separate incidents while working on the Thruway when vehicles failed to move over. The Thruway Authority and New York State Department of Transportation urge motorists to stay alert while driving, slow down and move over when they see a vehicle on the side of the road. The lives of employees, roadway workers and emergency personnel are in their hands.
Text stops, including park-and-ride facilities, rest stops, service areas and parking areas along state highways, support the State's effort to reduce distracted driving. All text stops will remain open, providing locations where drivers can safely and conveniently use their phones and other mobile devices for calling, texting, navigating and accessing mobile apps. Texting while driving is especially dangerous, as it requires motorists to take their eyes off the road, hands off the wheel and mind off driving.
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