State Police from Troop K will increase patrols this Labor Day weekend to combat impaired and intoxicated driving

The New York State Police from Troop K will increase patrols this Labor Day weekend to combat impaired and intoxicated driving. The “Drunk Driving, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” National crackdown, which commenced on August 19, 2016, runs through Labor Day weekend and will conclude on September 5, 2016.  State Troopers will be highly visible this weekend and will have zero tolerance for impaired, reckless and distracted drivers.

Labor Day weekend travel is traditionally associated with heavy traffic volume throughout Troop K’s four county patrol area.  Unfortunately, this increased flow of traffic also has the potential to bring an increase in motor vehicle collisions.  Our goal is to maximize DWI enforcement efforts to ensure motorists are not needlessly injured or killed by an intoxicated or drug impaired driver during the holiday weekend.

During the Labor Day weekend campaign, drivers can expect a number of sobriety checkpoints, designated DWI patrols, and underage drinking enforcement details.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the nation lost over 35,000 people in traffic crashes in 2015. The data revealed a 3.2% increase in drunk driving fatalities, resulting in 10,265 deaths in 2015, compared to 9,943, in 2014.

Motorists can prevent drunk driving by following the law, planning a safe ride home, designating a sober driver or using NHTSA’s SaferRide app to call a taxi or a friend so they can be picked up.