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NY Governor Announces Halloween Crackdown on Impaired Driving

State police and local law enforcement will increase patrols and target illegal sales of alcohol to minors.
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Kathy Hochul at Barclays Center. Photo by Miranda Levingston for the BK Reader.

Governor Kathy Hochul announced the New York State Police, as well as local law enforcement, will be increasing patrols to target impaired and reckless drivers during the Halloween weekend and on Oct. 31.

Police will also be targeting the illegal sale of alcohol to minors through underage drinker enforcement details statewide during the five-day period. The special enforcement period will continue until Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2022.

"My focus this Halloween weekend is to keep New Yorkers safe with zero tolerance for impaired driving," Hochul said. 

"If your Halloween celebrations include alcohol, plan for a safe ride home with a sober driver. Those who take the risk and drive impaired will end up facing the consequences of breaking the law." 

The New York State Police recommend these simple tips to prevent impaired driving: 

  • Plan a safe way home before the fun begins 
  • Before drinking, designate a sober driver
  • If you're impaired, use a taxi or ride-sharing service, call a sober friend or family member or use public transportation 
  • Use your community's sober ride program  
  • If you suspect a driver is drunk or impaired on the road, don't hesitate to contact local law enforcement 
  • If you know someone who is about to drive or ride while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.

Drivers can expect to encounter additional sobriety checkpoints and patrols for motorists using their phones behind the wheel. Motorists are also encouraged to remember to "move over" for emergency vehicles stopped on the side of the road. During the past year's enforcement initiative, State Troopers arrested 133 people for DWI and issued a total of 7,824 tickets for speeding, distracted driving, and other traffic violations. 

"While having fun on Halloween with friends and family, remember to never drive impaired and be extra cautious for pedestrians. Impaired driving is 100 percent preventable by always planning ahead for a safe ride to your destination. GTSC proudly supports this enforcement campaign to help get reckless drivers off the road," New York State Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Mark J.F. Schroeder said.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports Halloween is a particularly deadly night due to the high number of impaired drivers on the roads.  Between 2016 and 2020, there were 129 drunk-driving fatalities on Halloween night nationwide. During that same night, 11 pedestrians were killed in drunk-driving crashes.  




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