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New York State Police to Crack Down on Impaired
Driving this St. Patrick’s Day
Published: March 16, 2022 at
06:00 p.m.
By: Press Release from New York State Police
New York State Police to crack down on impaired
driving this St. Patrick’s Day
16 March 2022
NEW YORK STATE POLICE
Major Michael S. TenEyck
Troop D Commander
PRESS RELEASE
The New York
State Police will increase patrols to combat drunk, impaired, and reckless
driving as St. Patrick’s Day celebrations get underway starting this
weekend. This special traffic enforcement detail, which is funded by
the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee (GTSC), begins on Wednesday, March
16, 2022, and runs through Sunday, March 20, 2022.
Drivers can
expect to encounter additional DWI patrols and sobriety checkpoints during
the enforcement period. State Police will also be ticketing distracted drivers
who are using handheld electronic devices and will conduct underage
drinking and unlawful sales to minors details during the campaign.
During last
year’s St. Patrick’s Day impaired driving enforcement, Troopers arrested
286 people for DWI, issued 497 tickets for distracted driving and 19,253
tickets in total.
Drunk driving
kills more than 10,000 people each year in our country. One person every 52
minutes dies of an alcohol-related crash and every one of those deaths is
preventable.
Choosing to drive
drunk can ruin or end your life or someone else’s. This St. Patrick’s Day,
if you drink and drive, you face jail time, the loss of your license, a
higher insurance rate, and dozens of unanticipated expenses. An impaired
driving charge carries a maximum fine of $10,000.
The New York
State Police and the GTSC ask you to commit to following these easy steps,
so you can enjoy a safe holiday without jeopardizing lives on the road.
- Before the
festivities begin, plan a way to safely get home at the end of the night.
- Before you start drinking, designate a sober
driver and leave your car keys at home.
- If you’re impaired, use a taxi or ridesharing
service, call a sober friend or family member, or use public
transportation so you are sure to get home safely.
- If available, use your community’s sober ride
program
- Walking impaired can be just as dangerous as
drunk driving. Designate a sober friend to walk you home.
- If you see a drunk driver on the road, call
local law enforcement. You could save a life.
The GTSC and the New
York State STOP-DWI Foundation’s “Have
a Plan” mobile app, is available for Apple, Droid, and Windows
smartphones. The app enables New Yorkers to locate and call a taxi service
and program a designated driver list. It also provides information on DWI
laws and penalties, and a way to report a suspected impaired driver.
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