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The New York State Police issued over 12,000 tickets during their Memorial Day weekend enforcement campaign, which ran from Friday (May 23) through Monday (May 26). The campaign targeted dangerous driving behaviors, including distracted driving, driving while intoxicated (DWI), and seatbelt violations. In the Capital Region alone, nearly 1,100 tickets were issued, with 312 of those for speeding.
Statewide, the police issued a total of 12,062 tickets, marking an increase from the previous year's total of 10,949 tickets. According to the New York State Police, the enforcement effort was partially funded by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee and included sobriety checkpoints and additional DWI patrols. Troopers arrested 245 individuals for DWI and investigated 774 crashes, three of which were fatal.
The campaign's focus on speeding and aggressive driving resulted in 3,472 speeding tickets, while 393 tickets were issued for distracted driving and 1,660 for seatbelt violations. The Capital Region, Hudson Valley, and North Country accounted for 4,708 of the total tickets issued.
As part of the enforcement, the police aimed to deter reckless driving and ensure road safety during the busy holiday weekend.