New York Boosts Labor Day Patrols in Major Drive Sober Crackdown
State Police, sheriffs and local departments will increase patrols and sobriety checkpoints through Sept. 7, while drivers are also reminded that New York’s Move Over Law now protects all stopped vehicles on major highways.
New York drivers can expect increased Labor Day patrols beginning Wednesday, Aug. 19, as State Police, county sheriffs and local police step up enforcement against impaired, speeding and reckless drivers. The statewide effort runs through Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 7, as part of the national “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign.
The message from state officials is straightforward: celebrate the final weeks of summer, but make a plan before drinking, slow down and pay attention behind the wheel.
The enforcement push also comes with another reminder for New Yorkers. The state’s expanded Move Over Law requires drivers on certain high-speed roads to move out of the lane closest to a stopped vehicle when they can safely do so. The protection is no longer limited to police cars, ambulances, tow trucks or other emergency vehicles.
Increased Labor Day Patrols Begin Across New York
Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the enforcement campaign Wednesday, saying police will increase patrols and operate sobriety checkpoints across the state through the Labor Day holiday.
“New York is a great place, with our scenic trails and world-class state parks, to enjoy the end of summer and the Labor Day holiday,” Hochul said.
She added that motorists who choose to drive impaired or recklessly should expect law enforcement to be “out in force.”
The campaign includes:
- Additional State Police patrols
- Increased county sheriff and local police enforcement
- Sobriety checkpoints
- Enforcement targeting impaired driving
- Speed and reckless-driving enforcement
- Patrols looking for other traffic violations
The campaign officially runs Aug. 19 through Sept. 7, 2026.
More Than 131,000 Tickets Issued During 2025 Campaign
Last year’s numbers show the scale of the statewide operation.
According to the Governor’s Office, law enforcement agencies issued 131,245 tickets during the 2025 Labor Day enforcement campaign.
That total included:
- 4,125 impaired-driving arrests
- 24,905 speeding citations
- Thousands of additional tickets for other traffic violations
Those figures do not mean every ticket represented a dangerous driver, but they demonstrate how widespread enforcement can become during the late-summer campaign.
State officials say the goal is deterrence as much as enforcement. Drivers who expect checkpoints and increased patrols may be more likely to arrange sober transportation before going out.
Police Will Use Marked and Concealed Traffic Vehicles
Motorists should not assume every enforcement vehicle will look like a traditional marked police cruiser.
State Police say troopers will use both marked patrol vehicles and Concealed Identity Traffic Enforcement vehicles, known as CITE vehicles.
CITE vehicles blend more easily into regular traffic, giving troopers an opportunity to observe violations that motorists might otherwise stop committing when they see a marked police car.
Once their emergency lights are activated, however, the State Police says the vehicles are identifiable as emergency vehicles.
State Police Superintendent Steven G. James said there is no excuse for impaired driving when motorists have alternatives.
“There’s no excuse for impaired driving,” James said, adding that arranging a safe ride home requires little effort.
What Is New York’s Move Over Law?
New York’s Move Over Law requires motorists to use caution around stopped vehicles and, on parkways, interstates and other controlled-access highways with multiple lanes, move away from the stopped vehicle when it is safe to do so.
That last point is important because the law is broader than many drivers may remember.
The Law Protects More Than Police and Emergency Vehicles
New York’s driver manual states that motorists must exercise care to avoid colliding with authorized emergency or hazard vehicles stopped along a highway when their emergency or hazard lights are activated. Drivers must reduce their speed when approaching those vehicles.
On multilane controlled-access highways, drivers must also move from the lane directly next to the emergency or hazard vehicle unless traffic or another hazard makes the lane change unsafe.
The law goes further.
New York DMV says motorists must also move over for motor vehicles that are parked, stopped or standing on the shoulder or another portion of a parkway or controlled-access highway.
In practical terms, that can include an ordinary passenger vehicle stopped along the highway.
What Should Drivers Do?
When approaching a stopped vehicle:
- Pay attention early. Look well ahead for stopped vehicles and people who may be outside them.
- Slow down.
- Check surrounding traffic.
- Move into another lane when the law requires it and when it can be done safely.
- Do not make a sudden or unsafe lane change.
The phrase “when safe to do so” matters. Drivers should not create a second hazard by cutting off another vehicle or making an unsafe maneuver.
The state lists violations of the Move Over Law as moving violations.
Why the Expanded Move Over Law Matters
A disabled vehicle on the shoulder can place drivers, passengers, highway workers, police officers and emergency responders only a few feet from traffic traveling at highway speeds.
The expanded law recognizes that danger is not limited to a police traffic stop.
Someone changing a tire, waiting for roadside assistance or dealing with a mechanical breakdown can also be vulnerable.
For drivers, the safest approach is simple: if you see a vehicle stopped ahead, begin assessing the situation early instead of waiting until the last second to slow down or change lanes.
New York Urges Drivers to Make a Sober Ride Plan
The Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee is also encouraging motorists to use New York’s STOP-DWI “Have a Plan” app.
The STOP-DWI Foundation says the app can help users locate and call a taxi, create a designated-driver list, learn about blood-alcohol levels and DWI penalties, and report a suspected impaired driver.
The current STOP-DWI website lists versions for Apple and Android smartphones.
Even without the app, drivers can make transportation arrangements before drinking.
Options include:
- Choose a designated sober driver before leaving home.
- Arrange a taxi or rideshare.
- Stay overnight rather than drive.
- Ask a sober friend or family member for transportation.
- Never allow an impaired person to drive if a safe alternative is available.
Planning before a celebration begins is easier than trying to make transportation decisions after drinking.
Police Leaders Urge Drivers to Slow Down and Stay Alert
Impaired driving is not the only behavior authorities will be watching.
New York State Department of Motor Vehicles Acting Commissioner Christian Jackstadt urged travelers to avoid speeding and distractions as Labor Day traffic increases.
“Whether you are taking on a road trip or celebrating locally, please follow the rules of the road,” Jackstadt said, urging motorists not to speed, drive distracted or drive impaired.
Ulster County Sheriff Juan Figueroa, president of the New York State Sheriffs’ Association, delivered a similar warning.
“When someone drives impaired or recklessly, they put themselves, their passengers and the public at risk,” Figueroa said.
Enforcement Alone Cannot Make Roads Safe
Police checkpoints and additional patrols can remove dangerous drivers from the road, but enforcement begins after someone makes a risky choice.
The larger public-safety message depends on drivers themselves.
That means choosing not to drive after drinking or using impairing drugs, putting the phone down, following speed limits and giving stopped vehicles enough room.
It also means remembering that the person standing beside a disabled vehicle may be a police officer, a tow-truck operator, a parent dealing with a flat tire or someone simply waiting for help.
The responsibility is shared.
Police can enforce the law. Drivers determine what happens before an officer ever needs to intervene.
Before You Travel This Labor Day
New Yorkers heading out during the final weeks of summer should remember four basic rules:
- Drive sober.
- Slow down and avoid distractions.
- Arrange transportation before drinking.
- Slow down and move over safely for stopped vehicles.
The increased Labor Day patrols will continue through Monday, Sept. 7.
A traffic ticket can be costly. A crash can cost far more.
As families across the Mohawk Valley and the rest of New York make plans for Labor Day, taking a few minutes to arrange a safe ride, put away the phone and give roadside vehicles extra space could help ensure everyone makes it home.
Sources
Reporting was verified against the Aug. 19, 2026, Office of Gov. Kathy Hochul announcement, the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles Driver’s Manual, and the New York STOP-DWI Foundation’s current “Have a Plan” information.
The article was prepared using the publication and research requirements supplied for this assignment.
