Poughkeepsie… Various police agencies throughout Dutchess County will participate in a special enforcement effort to crack down on impaired driving to coincide with Labor Day weekend. The statewide STOP-DWI High Visibility Engagement Campaign effort starts on Friday, Aug. 18th and will conclude at the end of Labor Day on Monday, Sept. 4th.
Municipal law enforcement agencies will collaborate across the state and will be out in force in this coordinated effort to reduce the number of alcohol-related injuries and deaths during this period.
According to the National Safety Council, alcohol-impaired fatalities nationwide in 2020 represented 30 percent of the total traffic fatalities; during the Labor Day period that year, 38 percent of the fatalities involved an alcohol-impaired driver.
The Labor Day Weekend Engagement Campaign is one of many statewide enforcement initiatives promoted by the New York State STOP-DWI Association with additional funding from the STOP-DWI Foundation with a grant from the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee. In addition to this crackdown, statewide STOP-DWI engagement campaigns also target Super Bowl Sunday, St. Patrick’s Day, Memorial Day Weekend, July 4th Weekend, Halloween, Thanksgiving and the December holiday season.
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 High Visibility Community Engagement Campaign aim to further reduce the incidence of drunk and impaired driving.
Drivers can help to make a difference by having a sober plan! Motorists can download the mobile app, “Have a Plan,” and be able to find a safe ride home stopdwi.org/mobileapp.
