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During the holiday season, which often includes public gatherings and parties, the law enforcement community across the state will take to the roads in an effort to stop impaired driving, prevent injuries and save lives.
Research shows that high-visibility enforcement can reduce drunk driving fatalities by as much as 20 percent. Sobriety checkpoints play a key part in raising awareness about the problem, Molinaro said.
“While we spend this holiday season celebrating with friends and family and looking forward to the blessings of a new year, we must celebrate responsibly," Molinaro said. "Please make arrangements so you don’t drive while impaired. One bad decision this season can irrevocably change your life and the lives of others for years to come. The greatest gift you give this holiday season is driving safely without endangering those with whom you share the road.”
While STOP-DWI efforts across New York have led to significant reductions in the numbers of alcohol- and drug-related fatalities, still too many lives are being lost because of crashes caused by drunk or impaired drivers.
In December 2015, drunk driving crashes resulted in 840 unnecessary and tragic deaths; over a five-year period, that total reached almost 4,000 deaths. Highly visible, highly publicized efforts like the STOP-DWI crackdown campaign aim to further reduce the incidence of drunk and impaired driving, he added.
To help drivers arrive alive, the STOP-DWI Foundation has created a new mobile app, “Have A Plan,” available as a free download for smart phones, to help find safe rides home; go to www.stopdwi.org/mobileapp. The app is also available at app stores.
“We appreciate the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee for its support of this new technology. Whether it’s a sobriety checkpoint or the new mobile app, any means that will take impaired drivers off the road and save residents’ lives is a wise investment," said Dutchess County STOP-DWI Coordinator William Johnson.
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