Thousands of Drivers Ticketed Across New York

New York State drivers were definitely feeling the heat around St. Patrick’s Day this year.

The Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) has released the results of a week-long impaired driving crackdown across New York, and the numbers are pretty eye-opening, with more than 68,000 tickets issued statewide.

Thousands Ticketed Across New York

According to the GTSC, the enforcement campaign ran from March 9th through March 17th, targeting impaired drivers before and during the St. Patrick’s Day holiday.

During that time, state and local law enforcement ramped up patrols and set up sobriety checkpoints to deter, identify, and arrest impaired drivers.

By the end of the campaign, officers had issued 68,078 tickets for various traffic violations, including 1,694 for impaired driving.

“These enforcement mobilizations are conducted at times of the year when there is a higher likelihood of individuals driving under the influence,” said DMV Commissioner and GTSC Chair Mark Schroeder, adding that the goal is to make sure everyone gets home safely.

SEE ALSO: Hudson Valley Woman Arrested For DWI With Children in the Car

New York State Police Superintendent Steven James echoed that message, saying the results show a strong, coordinated effort across the state and serve as a clear warning, if you’re driving impaired, you will be stopped and held accountable".

Law enforcement officers also targeted speeding and aggressive drivers across the state during the campaign.

What Drivers Were Ticketed For

Here’s how those tickets break down:

• Impaired driving – 1,694
• Distracted driving – 2,577
• Move over violations – 520
• Speeding – 11,907
• Seatbelt violations – 1,528
• Other violations – 49,852

This St. Patrick’s Day crackdown is just one of several enforcement campaigns held throughout the year, especially around major holidays like the Fourth of July, Halloween, and the stretch between late summer and New Year’s.

For comparison, during last year’s St. Patrick’s Day enforcement, police arrested 1,224 drivers for DWI and issued more than 55,000 tickets overall.