State Police: Expect Sobriety Checkpoints, More Troopers On Roadways This Holiday Season

SARATOGA COUNTY —New York State Police will participate in a special enforcement initiative to crack down on impaired and reckless driving the holiday season. 

The enforcement campaign is part of the national “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” initiative and runs through Monday, Jan. 1, 2024. Drivers can expect to see sobriety checkpoints along with more troopers on roadways during the campaign.

In addition to the DWI checkpoints and patrols, Troopers will be watching for distracted drivers, vehicle occupants who are not properly buckled up, and drivers violating the “Move Over Law,” which requires motorists to exercise extreme caution when passing emergency vehicles that are stopped in or on the side of the road. State Police will also conduct underage drinker enforcement details statewide.

During the campaign, Troopers will be using both marked State Police vehicles and Concealed Identity Traffic Enforcement (CITE) vehicles as part of the operation. The CITE vehicles allow Troopers to more easily identify motorists who are using handheld devices while driving. CITE vehicles allow the Trooper to better observe distracted 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 crackdown, State Police arrested 453 people for DWI and issued 32,934 tickets, including 11,305 tickets for speeding, 912 for distracted driving, and 316 for the “Move Over Law.”