Thinking of going out with old friends to a bar to celebrate this holiday weekend? If so, be aware that the New York State Police will be hitting the roadways across the state along with you with increased patrols searching for motorists driving drunk as well as for speeders and distracted drivers.

A dangerous 2013 Holiday

The State Police report that during the 2013 Thanksgiving holiday period, troopers arrested 181 drivers for DWI, issued 4,459 speeding tickets and 854 tickets for distracted driving.

“The State Police will supplement regular patrols statewide focusing on speed enforcement, impaired driving, underage drinking, and distracted driving.

The effort will also incorporate fixed sobriety checkpoints, an underage drinker initiative and the “Operation Hang Up” initiative, which targets distracted drivers by utilizing Concealed Identity Traffic Enforcement (CITE) patrol vehicles to better locate drivers talking or texting on hand held devices. These unmarked vehicles blend in with every day traffic but are unmistakable as emergency vehicles once the emergency lighting is activated.”

Consequences of a Drunk Driving Conviction in New York

New York takes drunk driving seriously- very seriously. A conviction for driving while intoxicated (DWI) in Westchester, Rockland and other counties across the state will lead to:

  • The revocation of your New York state driver’s license;
  • Up to $1,000 in fines
  • State surcharges;
  • Completion of a Drinking Driver Program;
  • possible probation and
  • a lifetime criminal record that can never be expunged – even for a first time offender. A court will also order you to have an ignition interlock device installed on any vehicle that you own.

DWI is a crime that is potentially punishable by up to one year in jail for a misdemeanor conviction.

Don’t get behind the wheel of a car after consuming too much alcohol — you could get arrested for DWI and ruining your holiday will be the least of your concerns.