UTICA, N.Y. — New Yorkers are being reminded about the ongoing “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign, which seeks to remove impaired drivers from roads this holiday season.
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced that the initiative, funded by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, will continue through Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026.
The campaign includes DWI checkpoints and patrols, with officers also monitoring for speeding, distracted driving and violations of the Move Over Law.
To ease travel, temporary lane closures for road and bridge projects on New York State highways will be suspended from 6 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 24 to 6 a.m. Monday, Dec. 29, and again from 6 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 31 to 6 a.m. Monday, Jan. 5, 2026.
The Move Over Law, expanded in March 2024, requires drivers to slow down and move over for vehicles stopped along the road.
Texting stops and service areas along State highways support efforts to reduce distracted driving.
The New York State Thruway Authority will offer free coffee and hot tea to travelers from 11 p.m. New Year’s Eve through 7 a.m. New Year’s Day to promote safe driving.
All 27 service areas on the New York State Thruway are open, and drivers can plan their stops using the Thruway Authority’s website or mobile app, which provides real-time traffic updates.
During last year’s crackdown, law enforcement issued 129,686 tickets statewide.