POUGHKEEPSIE … Multiple law-enforcement agencies across Dutchess County will take part in a coordinated effort to stop impaired driving during the Thanksgiving holiday week. This concentrated campaign runs from Wednesday, Nov. 26 through Sunday, Nov. 30.
Dutchess County Executive Sue Serino said, “Let’s all help make the roads safer this holiday season, and please make a safe plan for getting home. We thank the dedicated men and women of law enforcement who work year-round to keep our roads safe for us all.”
The campaign is part of STOP-DWI’s broader “High Visibility Enforcement” initiative, supported by the New York Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, and involves agencies across the state working together to reduce alcohol- and drug-related crashes during peak times.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, between 2019 and 2023, 868 people were killed nationwide in drunk-driving crashes during the Thanksgiving holiday period, making up about one-third of all traffic deaths during that time. In 2023 alone, 174 people died in crashes involving a driver with a blood alcohol level of .08 or higher over Thanksgiving; drivers ages 21 to 34 were involved in the largest share of deadly drunk-driving crashes that year.
The statewide enforcement effort also focuses on other times of year when dangerous driving is more common, including the winter holiday season, Super Bowl weekend, St. Patrick’s Day, Memorial Day and the busy summer months, the Fourth of July, Labor Day and Halloween. Drivers are encouraged to plan ahead and make safe choices, and STOP-DWI New York urges residents to download its mobile app, “Have a Plan.”
