State Police will step up DWI enforcement this weekend

Press Release, Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s Office

Governor Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the New York State Police and local law enforcement will initiate special St. Patrick’s Day traffic enforcement efforts as celebrations begin this weekend.

The effort will begin on Saturday and run through Thursday. During this time, drivers can expect a number of sobriety checkpoints, additional DWI patrols, and underage drinking and sales to minors details during the campaign. State Police will also be ticketing distracted drivers who use handheld electronic devices.

“State Police and local law enforcement will be out in full force over the coming days to help ensure a safe holiday,” Cuomo said. “This state has zero tolerance for reckless and impaired driving and I encourage all New Yorkers to celebrate responsibly in order to help prevent senseless tragedies.”

During the 2015 St. Patrick’s Day weekend enforcement effort, Troopers made 264 arrests for DWI and issued more than 14,000 tickets.

St. Patrick’s Day is one of the deadliest holidays due to the number of drunk drivers on the road. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the St. Patrick’s Day holiday period from 2010 to 2014 saw the loss of 266 lives nationally due to drunk-driving crashes. In 2014, alone, 29 people (28 percent of all crash fatalities) were killed in drunk-driving crashes over this period.

Choosing to drive drunk can ruin or end the life of the driver and others around them. Those who do face jail time, the loss of a driver’s license, higher insurance rates, and dozens of unanticipated expenses. An impaired driving charge carries a maximum fine of $10,000.