New York Roadways Will Have Extra Police Patrols for Thanksgiving

If you're traveling in New York this Thanksgiving weekend, be prepared for extra police patrols on the lookout for impaired or aggressive drivers.

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In a press release on Monday, New York State Governor Kathy Hochul announced that the New York State Police and local law enforcement agencies would be participating in a special traffic safety initiative aimed at impaired and aggressive driving during the holiday weekend. Thanksgiving weekend is one of the busiest travel weekends of the year, so there's a good chance if you're driving in reckless fashion, you won't be able to get away with it.

Steven A. Nigrelli, New York State Police Acting Superintendent, stated "As motorists drive throughout the state to see their family and friends during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, we encourage them to make safe driving practices their top priority. Impaired and aggressive driving, speeding, not using safety restraints and texting while driving all cause scores of senseless injuries and deaths. The State Police is committed to making our roadways safer and together, we can make sure everyone has a safe and happy Thanksgiving."

During the 2021 Thanksgiving season, Troopers arrested 183 drivers for DWI, issued 4,609 speeding tickets, 340 distracted driving tickets and 12,975 tickets overall.

I'll be out on the roadways myself this weekend traveling back home, so I don't want to see anybody out there driving recklessly around me. New Yorkers have a bit of a reputation for finding the floor with the gas pedal, so everyone should be on notice that if you try doing that this weekend you're going to end up with a hefty fine and a passive aggressive look from me while you're speeding by.