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STOP-DWI crackdown in St. Lawrence County begins Aug. 19, runs through Labor Day

Posted 8/11/16

Law enforcement in St. Lawrence County and across New York will crack down on impaired driving during the statewide STOP-DWI Labor Day Crackdown Aug. 19 through Sept. 5, according to Michele James, …

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STOP-DWI crackdown in St. Lawrence County begins Aug. 19, runs through Labor Day

Posted

Law enforcement in St. Lawrence County and across New York will crack down on impaired driving during the statewide STOP-DWI Labor Day Crackdown Aug. 19 through Sept. 5, according to Michele James, St. Lawrence County STOP-DWI.

While many will spend the Labor Day holiday and the end of summer celebrating with loved ones, state police, St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office and local law enforcement agencies are stepping up DWI enforcement efforts on impaired driving, either by alcohol or drugs.

“There will be no warnings,” said Michele James, St. Lawrence County STOP-DWI. “Our message is simple — don’t drink or drug and drive. Have a plan to get home safely. Don’t drive, get a ride. Violators will lose their licenses; pay increased insurance rates, fines, surcharges and DMV fees; and may have an ignition interlock device installed in their vehicle. Driving impaired is not worth it.”

Research shows that high-visibility enforcement can reduce impaired driving fatalities by as much as 20 percent. Sobriety checkpoints play a key part in raising awareness about the problem. The crackdown is funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Approximately one-third of all traffic crash fatalities in the United States involve drunk drivers (with blood alcohol concentrations [BACs] of .08 of higher). According to the NHTSA in 2014, there were 9,967 people killed in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes where at least one driver had a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher.