BUFFALO, N.Y. — The New York State Police participated in a nationwide DWI crackdown for New Year's and issued nearly 33,000 tickets.
On Wednesday, Gov. Kathy Hochul released the final numbers for how many people were stopped and ticketed from Dec. 14 to New Year's Day.
A total of 32,934 tickets were issued during this time and troopers arrest 453 people for DWIs. In addition, 4,417 accidents are being investigated. Of those accidents, eight were fatal and 528 people were injured.
"I thank the State Police and local law enforcement for their continued efforts to get dangerous drivers off the roads and protect all New Yorkers," Hochul said.
"We will not stand for the preventable tragedies that are caused by impaired and reckless drivers, and we will continue our aggressive enforcement measures to make the roads safe for all who use them."
"One of the mission priorities of the New York State Police is to improve highway safety by focusing on reducing drunk and impaired driving crashes. Through our recent enforcement efforts, as well the work Troopers do on a daily basis, we have made our roadways safer for the public. The New York State Police urges motorists to make safety their top priority as well to help reduce these crashes. Our message is simple: Don't drink and drive. By being proactive, we can reduce the number of motor vehicle accidents caused by drunk and impaired driving," New York State Police Acting Superintendent Steven A. Nigrelli said.
In Western New York, a total of 2,597 tickets were issued during this time and 36 arrests were made for DWIs.
"These numbers are another sign that these efforts are working to keep our streets and highways safe. We are always proud to partner with state and local law enforcement on these campaigns, and to continue to push the message to motorists and passengers alike - if you are going to be out and celebrating, make a plan and get yourself and everyone else home safely. It's simple to do and can make all the difference," Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner and Chair of the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee Mark J.F. Schroeder said.
