Governor's Traffic Safety Committee Announces Results of Statewide Memorial Day Weekend Impaired Driving Enforcement Mobilization
27,280 Tickets Issued Statewide for Various Vehicle and Traffic Law Violations
1,108 Tickets Issued Statewide for Impaired Driving
The Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) today announced law enforcement agencies throughout the state issued 27,280 tickets for various vehicle and traffic law violations, including 1,108 tickets for impaired driving and 4,431 tickets for speeding, during a statewide mobilization targeting impaired drivers over the Memorial Day holiday weekend. The enforcement period ran from May 22 through May 25.
“We hope everyone had a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend celebrating the start of the summer season with friends and family,” said Acting Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) Commissioner Christian Jackstadt. “Unfortunately, as these results show, some made the irresponsible choice to drive impaired and recklessly. We are grateful to our law enforcement agencies for their committed efforts to crack down on dangerous drivers to make our highways as safe as possible, and we thank all the motorists who made responsible choices behind the wheel.”
During the campaign, state and local law enforcement officers utilized sobriety checkpoints and increased patrols to deter, identify and arrest impaired drivers. The statewide initiative was funded by STOP-DWI and the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee.
New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said, “Safety is a top priority for the State Police; for our troopers, and the drivers and passengers we serve on New York’s roadways. That is why initiatives like the Memorial Day traffic enforcement are so critical in facing the common threat of impaired driving head-on. Our hope is to not have to knock on another door to tell someone their loved one is not coming home because of an impaired driver. I thank our partners at the Department of Motor Vehicles and our members for the work they do to continuously improve safety on our roadways.”
New York State Association of Chiefs of Police President and Town of Brighton Police Department Chief David Catholdi said, “The majority of motorists drove safely during the Memorial Day weekend, however, there were those who still continued to make poor choices and operated their vehicles while impaired by drugs and alcohol. This resulted in many being arrested during the most recent enforcement initiatives. Local law enforcement agencies will continue to monitor our highways throughout the 2026 calendar year in order to identify impaired drivers and enforce the other traffic laws of New York State to keep our roadways safe for everyone.”
As part of the enforcement, law enforcement officers also targeted speeding and aggressive drivers across the state. Below is a breakdown of the total tickets that were issued.
| Violation | Number of Tickets |
|---|---|
| Impaired Driving | 1,108 |
| Distracted Driving | 964 |
| Move Over Law | 245 |
| Speeding | 4,431 |
| Seatbelt | 2,623 |
| Other Violations | 17,909 |
| Grand Total | 27,280 |
During the Memorial Day weekend enforcement in 2025, law enforcement agencies throughout the state issued 34,245 tickets for various vehicle and traffic law violations, including 1,404 tickets for impaired driving and 6,139 tickets for speeding.
This enforcement campaign is one of several coordinated initiatives sponsored each year by the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC) to reduce alcohol and other drug-related traffic crashes. These targeted mobilizations provide resources to law enforcement statewide to increase DWI patrols and sobriety check points during the campaign period. Other impaired driving campaigns occur around St. Patrick’s Day, Independence Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and periods of time from August to September and December to January.
The GTSC and the New York State STOP-DWI Foundation remind motorists that their "Have a Plan" mobile app, is available for Apple, Android and Windows smartphones. Users can locate and call a taxi service or ride share and program a designated driver list. The app also provides information on DWI laws and penalties, and it even allows users to report a suspected impaired driver.
New Yorkers struggling with addiction, or whose loved ones are struggling, can find help and hope by calling the state’s toll-free, 24-hour, 7-day-a-week HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (Short Code 467369). Available addiction treatment including crisis/detox, inpatient, community residence or outpatient care can be found through the NYS OASAS website.
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