Dutchess Participating in Statewide
STOP-DWI Labor Day Crackdown Enforcement Effort
Impaired Driving Crackdown runs through September 7th
Poughkeepsie, NY… Law enforcement agencies across Dutchess County are currently participating in a special enforcement effort to crackdown on impaired driving to help ensure a safe and happy Labor Day holiday weekend.
The Labor Day holiday brings an increase in highway travel and impaired driving, so state and local law enforcement agencies are stepping up enforcement. The statewide STOP-DWI Crackdown efforts are in effect through September 7th. New York State Police, the Dutchess County Sheriff’s Office and municipal law enforcement agencies across the state will be out in force in an effort to stop impaired driving, prevent injuries and save lives.
“With vacations and the summer season ending, we collectively begin to look forward to the upcoming school year and getting back into family routines. If you are celebrating with friends and family during the Labor Day holiday, please have a plan to avoid driving impaired. Don’t allow bad decisions to destroy future plans and family objectives. It is simply not worth the risk,” said Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro.
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. According to Dutchess County STOP-DWI Coordinator William C. Johnson, “Impaired driving and all of the related consequences are 100 percent preventable. The coordinated multi-agency efforts conducted during these high risk holiday crackdown periods, including multi-agency sobriety checkpoints and coordinated saturation patrols, reinforce our commitment and ongoing efforts to identify, arrest, and ultimately deter drivers who may choose to drive impaired.”
The STOP-DWI Labor Day Weekend crackdown is one of many statewide enforcement initiatives promoted by the New York State STOP-DWI Association with additional funding from the STOP-DWI Foundation and the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee. Throughout the remainder of the year, the statewide STOP-DWI Crackdown Campaign will also target Halloween and the national holiday season in December.
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. Highly visible, highly publicized efforts like the STOP-DWI Crackdown Campaign aim to further reduce the incidence of drunk and impaired driving.
“Law enforcement at every level throughout Dutchess County – state, county and local authorities – will be out in force during this crackdown to eliminate drunk drivers from our roads and make them safe for law-abiding motorists,” said Dutchess County District Attorney William V. Grady.
