New York Issued More Than 50,000 Tickets During Holiday Weekend

The holiday season in New York State can be a pretty busy and hectic time of year, from having to entertain family to the logistics of getting Thanksgiving dinner together. Not to mention shopping and getting ready for the start of a new year.

With everything that most people have going on at this time of year, the last thing they often think about is getting a ticket. That is, unless you are a member of law enforcement in the Empire State who ran a targeted traffic enforcement campaign during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend; when it was all said and done, police all over New York wrote a staggering amount of tickets.

The results of this effort are staggering. Far too many people put their lives and the lives of others at risk through the poor choices that can easily be mitigated... I want to thank our law enforcement officers for their continued commitment to remove these drivers from our roadways and keep New Yorkers safe.
-Kathy Hochul, Governor of New York State

According to information released by the New York State Traffic Safety Committee, law enforcement officers across New York wrote more than 50,000 tickets during the four-day period. Mark J.F. Schroeder, the Commissioner of the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner, said state officials don't want to keep people from enjoying themselves through the holiday but want to make sure people follow the rules of the road when out.

In addition to increased and targeted traffic patrols, officers used checkpoints in different areas of the state to catch people. In total, 50,466 tickets were issued. A majority of the tickets were issued for speeding, not wearing a seatbelt, DWI/DWAI, and phone use while driving:

• Speeding Tickets Issued - 10,078
• Improper Seatbelt Use Tickets Issued - 2,812
• Impaired Driving (DWI/DWAI) Tickets Issued - 1,705
• Distracted Driving Tickets Issued - 1,702
• Move Over Lane Violation Tickets Issued - 483

Officials from New York State have not released how much money will be generated from these tickets, but considering this sheer volume, it's likely a significant number.

New York State is planning another effort like this for the Christmas and New Year holidays, so if you will be on the road, please be careful.