NY state police cracking down on drunk driving for Memorial Day weekend

NYC traffic violence

New York City leaders say traffic accidents are rising at an alarming rate. The commissioner of the city Department of Transportation wants more speed cameras put in school zones and more red-light cameras at dangerous intersections.

NEW YORK - The New York State Police have announced that they will be stepping up patrols to combat drunk driving throughout Memorial Day weekend.

The enforcement period will run from 6 p.m. on Friday, May 27 through 3 a.m. on Tuesday, May 31.

Drivers can expect to see sobriety checkpoints and increased patrols by State Police and local law enforcement throughout the weekend, and police will be using unmarked cars to catch reckless drivers and other violators.

According to the Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research at the University at Albany, 516 people were killed and 5,067 people were injured in drunk and drugged driving-related crashes in 2020.

In 2020, state police say troopers arrested 185 people for driving while impaired and issued 9.215 tickets over Memorial Day weekend. They also investigated 163 crashes, wich resulted in two deaths.