Poughkeepsie … Law-enforcement agencies throughout Dutchess County will participate in a special enforcement effort to crack down on impaired driving during St. Patrick’s Day weekend, beginning Thursday, March 13th and concluding Tuesday, March 18th. Various municipal law enforcement agencies will join agencies across the state in this coordinated effort to target those who put lives in danger.
County Executive Sue Serino said, “If you’re including alcohol in your St. Patrick’s Day celebration, please arrange for a safe ride home. Dutchess County is fortunate to have dedicated law enforcement officers who work hard to keep us safe every day. This holiday weekend, they will continue their efforts to protect motorists by keeping impaired drivers off our local roads.”
St. Patrick’s Day has long been linked to a rise in impaired driving incidents. From 2016 to 2020, for example, drunk-driving crashes during the holiday period claimed the lives of 287 people nationwide, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Studies indicate that high-visibility community engagement campaigns can lower impaired driving fatalities by up to 20 percent. Sobriety checkpoints are a vital tool in increasing awareness of the issue.
The St. Patrick’s Day crackdown is one of many statewide high visibility community engagement campaigns promoted by the New York State STOP-DWI Association. In addition to this crackdown, statewide STOP-DWI engagement campaigns also target Super Bowl Sunday, Memorial Day weekend, July 4th, Labor Day weekend, Halloween, Thanksgiving and the holiday season in December.
Although STOP-DWI initiatives across New York have significantly reduced alcohol- and drug-related fatalities, too many lives are still lost due to crashes caused by impaired drivers. The STOP-DWI High Visibility Community Engagement Campaign uses prominent, well publicized efforts to further decrease instances 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 www.stopdwi.org/mobileapp.
