St. Lawrence County police agencies will participate in a special enforcement effort to crackdown on substance impaired driving.

The statewide STOP-DWI Memorial Weekend Crackdown effort runs from May 22 to May 27.

Memorial Weekend is historically a deadly period for impaired driving. As part of the New York State STOP-DWI Enforcement Crackdowns, St. Lawrence County STOP-DWI will be working with St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, New York State Police, Potsdam Police Department, and Canton Police Department in their efforts “to protect everyone from substance impaired drivers either by alcohol and/or drugs during this busy time of year,” a release from St. Lawrence County STOP DWI said.

The funding for this crackdown was provided by the New York State STOP- DWI Foundation through a grant from the governor’s Traffic Safety Committee via the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. During this time period, law enforcement will vigorously enforce laws related to driving while impaired with special emphasis on impaired driving either by alcohol or drugs.

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

“There will be no warnings,” said Michele James. “Our message is simple—Don’t drink or drug and drive. Have a Plan. The personal and financial costs are too great. ”

All drinking driving fines collected from convicted drunk drivers fund the St. Lawrence County STOP-DWI Program.