Police agencies in St. Lawrence County will participate in a special enforcement effort July 3 to 8 to crack down on impaired driving.

The Fourth of July weekend is historically a deadly period for impaired driving.

New York State Police, St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, Gouverneur Police Department, Norfolk Police Department, Ogdensburg Police Department, Potsdam Police Department and Canton Police Department, as well as local law enforcement agencies across the state, will be out in force in this effort to reduce the number of alcohol/drug-related traffic injuries and deaths, according to the St. Lawrence County STOP-DWI program.

During this time, law enforcement will vigorously enforce laws related to driving while impaired with special emphasis on impaired driving either by alcohol or drugs.

STOP-DWI efforts across New York claim to have led to significant reductions in alcohol and drug related fatalities. Highly visible, highly publicized efforts like the STOP-DWI Crackdown Campaign aim to further reduce the incidence of drunk and impaired driving.

A recent study conducted by the Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research (www.itsmr.org) in Albany found that the involvement of drugs is an increasing issue in fatal crashes, with one out of six fatalities (16%) being drug-related. The number of drivers ticketed for drug-impaired driving rose 20% between 2007 and 2011, while the number of drivers ticketed for alcohol-impaired driving dropped 15%.

All DWI fines in the county fund the St. Lawrence County STOP-DWI Program.