NYSP announces Memorial Day weekend driving crackdown
NEW YORK STATE (WWTI) – The Memorial Day holiday weekend means law enforcement will be out if full force.
The New York State Police, in conjunction with local and county law enforcement, will increase patrols to combat drunk, impaired, and reckless driving throughout Memorial Day weekend. The special enforcement period begins Friday, May 23 through Monday, May 26. These extra patrols are funded through grants from the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee.
Memorial Day travel expected to break 20-year record
This Memorial Day weekend marks one of the busiest travel holidays of the year. Police will be out in force to remove impaired and reckless drivers from the state's roadways and ensure safe travel for all.
For many New Yorkers, Memorial Day marks the start of the summer travel season, which means additional traffic and increased risks on our roadways. As we take time to honor those who died in service to our country, we encourage all motorists to make safety their number one priority. Drive sober, put down your smartphone, and slow down and move over if you see emergency vehicles or highway workers on the side of the road. Troopers will remain vigilant in keeping the roadways safe throughout the holiday weekend.
New York State Police Superintendent Steven James
Motorists should expect sobriety checkpoints and increased patrols by multiple local law enforcement agencies. Troopers will use both marked vehicles and Concealed Identity Traffic Enforcement vehicles to identify motorists who are violating the law. CITE vehicles blend in with everyday traffic but are unmistakable as emergency vehicles once their lights are activated, allowing Troopers to more effectively observe violations.
During last Memorial Day weekend, troopers arrested 225 people for impaired driving, issued 10,949 tickets, and investigated 239 crashes. No fatalities were reported.
This initiative is partially funded by the GTSC. The GTSC and the New York State STOP-DWI Foundation remind motorists that the 'Have a Plan' mobile app is available for Apple, Android, and Windows smartphones. The app enables New Yorkers to locate and call a taxi, program a list of designated drivers, access information on DWI laws and penalties, and even report a suspected impaired driver.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
a day ago
- New York Post
New York State trooper launched over guardrail after semi-truck plowed into patrol car during traffic stop on Thruway
A New York State trooper was seriously injured when a semi-truck plowed into his parked patrol car on the side of a busy upstate highway – obliterating the cruiser and sending the cop flying over a guardrail, police said. The freakish incident unfolded around 12:39 p.m. Friday as the trooper was conducting a traffic stop on the New York State Thruway in Schenectady County, just 25 miles southwest of Albany. The trailer-less tractor was traveling westbound on Interstate 90 when it slammed into the squad car, according to state police, which shared startling images of the collision. 4 The collision obliterated the New York State Police cruiser Friday afternoon. New York State Police/Facebook Police said the impact hurled the trooper, who was standing on the passenger side of a Honda Odyssey involved in the traffic stop, over the metal barrier and tumbling down an embankment. 'The incident is a powerful reminder: New York's Move Over Law is not optional,' police said, referring to a state law that requires motorists to slow down and shift lanes when a vehicle is stopped on an Empire State roadway. 4 The disastrous incident occurred on the New York State Thruway while the trooper was conducting a traffic stop. New York State Police/Facebook 'When you see emergency, police, fire, or highway crews on the shoulder – slow down and move over. Lives depend on it.' Images of the wreck showed the mangled cop car perched atop the flattened guardrail, its rear end sheared off, car hood damaged, windshield shattered and airbags deployed. The cruiser also smashed into the back of the Honda, leaving it severely damaged and shuttering the thruway for hours. 4 The trooper was sent to the hospital with serious injuries. New York State Police/Facebook The trooper was taken to Albany Medical Center with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. The Honda driver and passenger suffered minor injuries and were transported to St. Mary's Hospital in Amsterdam, police said. 4 The wreck, which sent the driver and passenger involved in the traffic stop to the hospital, closed the highway for hours. New York State Police/Facebook It was not immediately clear if the truck driver, who was not identified, was charged. 'We wish our Trooper a full and speedy recovery,' police said.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Tish gets ripped! New Yorkers not impressed with AG Letitia James' crackdown on gyms
That's weak. New Yorkers ripped state Attorney General Letitia James' online boast about her crackdown on Equinox gyms. James — who is facing a criminal probe of her own — got hundreds of nasty remarks after posting on social media about the $600,000 fine she levied on the gym chain for making it too tough for customers to cancel their memberships. 'New Yorkers should never have to break a sweat when they cancel a gym membership,' James' office wrote in a May 30 Facebook post. But New Yorkers were not impressed. 'Nice to see NY representatives are focused on the important stuff,' quipped commenter Cynthia Schieber Weiss. 'This is what progressives focus on. Minutia,' wrote Matt Ziccardi. Only customers who'd previously filed formal complaints will get refunds, up to $250 apiece, less than a single month's membership at the swanky gym. 'Really helping out there,' mocked Facebook user Eric Smith. 'You need to be worried about the investigation going on against you as we speak,' posted another. 'Will you be working out in the prison yard?' snarked Jerry West. A spokesperson for Equinox told The Post it made changes to its membership last year and is now in 'full compliance' with the law. The company didn't answer when asked if that meant people could now cancel their memberships any time without penalty. James' office did not respond to The Post's request for comment.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Our View: As the heat spikes, so do drownings
Triple-digit temperatures are predicted for this weekend. Beyond that, the days are expected to be not much cooler. It is a reminder that the blistering Bakersfield summer has started, and residents and visitors will look to water for relief. But danger lurks in the many local swimming pools and the even bigger attraction, the Kern River. Urging pool safety during a recent press conference, Kern County health officials promoted the department's Water Watcher program, which calls for designating adults to always keep close tabs on children frolicking around backyard pools. They cited federal findings that drowning is the leading cause of unintentional, injury-related death for children ages 1 to 4. On average, 350 children under the age of 5 lose their lives to drowning every year in the United States. Within the past five years, 16 children in Kern County have lost their lives to drowning: two in the Kern River, two in bathtubs and 12 in swimming pools. In advance of the Memorial Day Weekend last month, county officials performed a grisly annual tradition — updating Kern Canyon entry signs to warn of the Kern River's danger. This year, the number of drownings posted on the signs went from 334 to 342. Eight people were taken by the Kern in 2024. Last year's July 4th holiday was particularly deadly. Four people drowned. The count, which began in 1968, doesn't include people who died in the upper Kern River, in Tulare County, which doesn't keep drowning statistics on its section of river. It also doesn't include people who are still missing and presumed dead in the river. 'We tell the public this every year: The Kern River is dangerous,' said Sgt. Rodney Jones, who oversees the Kern County Sheriff's Office's search and rescue division. 'Do not go in it without professional guides or gear.' The water is cold and deceptively fast with numerous hidden hazards — branches, rocks, debris — that can snag you, trap you and pull you under, he said. The division posts additional search and rescue teams on holidays along the river to respond to emergencies and remind people about the dangers. Asked if Kern officials would consider closing off the river, Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood responded with a firm NO. 'The river is a public place and there's way too many access points for us to patrol,' he said. 'You can't legislate stupidity. If you need to be told to stay out of that river, there's something wrong with you.' Youngblood is right. It's up to all of us to heed repeated warnings and keep ourselves, families and friends safe. ■ Watch children closely. Never let them into the river unattended. ■ Do not go in the river if you can't swim. ■ Use adequate flotation devices, not drug store floaties. ■ Make sure someone in your party can contact 911. Service in the canyon is sketchy. ■ Alcohol (or other mind-altering substances) do not mix well with the river. Several river rafting companies operate along the Kern. They offer safe and varying trips — depending on people's interests and experience. SJV Water, a local news outlet that covers water issues, reports that with less snowfall this year, the river will be running lower than in recent past years. But even though the water flow is lower, Jones noted that most people are not able to climb out if they are trapped on a rock. As evidence, on Sunday a man was found dead in the river. The man had gone missing after swimming in Isabella Lake without a flotation device. Just a few days later, a teenage girl was rescued from a tree in the river at Hart Park, just 90 minutes after another person was rescued from the same area, according to the Kern County Sheriff's Office. They were brought to shore uninjured. Again, the Kern County Sheriff's Office urged the public to always wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved lifejacket when in or near the river. 'Despite appearing calm in some areas, the river's cold temperatures, swift currents and hidden hazards can quickly turn deadly,' KCSO once again warned in a news release.
