Governor Hochul Announces State Police Arrest 225 People For DWI Over Memorial Day Weekend Case

Governor Hochul announced today that State Police issued 10,949 tickets and arrested 225 people for DWI on Memorial Day weekend. The special enforcement period began on Friday, May 24, 2024, and ran through Monday, May 27, 2024. The Governor’s heightened enforcement efforts are part of a larger commitment to protecting drivers, pedestrians and roadway workers.

“New York State has zero tolerance for drunk and impaired driving, and we are doing everything in our power to prevent the senseless tragedies that result from it,” Governor Hochul said. “Public safety is my number one priority, and we will continue to aggressively enforce our driving laws so that New Yorkers are protected.” 

New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “The results of this year’s campaign show that too many people are still getting behind the wheel while intoxicated or impaired by drugs. This behavior will not be tolerated, and our Troopers will remain vigilant in the removal of these reckless individuals from our roadways. I thank Governor Hochul for her unwavering support in keeping New York’s roadways safe for all who travel them.”

During the campaign, which was partially funded by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, State Police utilized sobriety checkpoints, additional DWI patrols, and ticketed distracted drivers who used handheld electronic devices.

Troopers arrested 225 people for DWI and investigated 239 crashes, including 58 personal injury crashes. No fatal crashes were reported. 

As part of the enforcement, Troopers also targeted speeding and aggressive drivers across the state. Below is a sampling of the total tickets that were issued:

Speeding: 3,076

Distracted Driving: 356

Seatbelt Violations: 1,663

Move Over Law: 106

Troopers used both marked State Police vehicles and Concealed Identity Traffic Enforcement (CITE) vehicles as part of this crackdown in order to more easily identify motorists who are violating the law. CITE vehicles allow the Trooper to better observe driving violations. These vehicles blend in with everyday traffic but are unmistakable as emergency vehicles once the emergency lighting is activated. 

During last year’s Memorial Day Weekend enforcement campaign, which ran from Friday, May 26, 2023, through Tuesday, May 30, 2023, the State Police issued 13,471 total tickets and arrested 219 people for DWI.

Below is a breakdown of violations by troop: