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STOP-DWI enforcement crackdown planned for St. Lawrence County Dec. 13-Jan. 1

Posted 12/5/18

St. Lawrence County STOP-DWI announced recently that law enforcement agencies across the state will soon be out in force to bust drivers impaired either by alcohol and/or drugs. The statewide …

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STOP-DWI enforcement crackdown planned for St. Lawrence County Dec. 13-Jan. 1

Posted

St. Lawrence County STOP-DWI announced recently that law enforcement agencies across the state will soon be out in force to bust drivers impaired either by alcohol and/or drugs.

The statewide STOP-DWI Crackdown efforts start on Dec. 13 and will end on Jan. 1, 2019.

The holiday season is historically a deadly period for impaired driving, said a press release from the St. Lawrence County Traffic Safety Program.

Impaired driving, whether it is alcohol, prescription medicines or illegal drug use, is a problem in St. Lawrence County, the press release said.

Local, county and state law enforcement personnel are trained, prepared and motivated to combat this issue.

Whether it is buzzed driving or drugged driving, impaired drivers pose a danger to other motorists and civilians.

Approximately one-third of all traffic crash fatalities in the United States involve drunk drivers (with blood alcohol concentrations [BACs] of .08 of higher), the press release said.

In 2017, there were 10,874 people killed in these preventable crashes.

According to NHTSA, take steps to prevent impaired driving:

• If you will be drinking, plan on not driving. Plan your safe ride home before you start the party. Designate a sober driver ahead of time.

• If you drink, do not drive for any reason. Download the free STOP-DWI mobile app: “Have A Plan” which helps you identify your location and call a taxi or friend to pick you up. The “Have A Plan” app operates on iPhone, Android and Windows platforms, and has features such as an ability to preload a list of designated drivers, find a taxi cab via GPS, and a ‘Report DWI’ button that connects users to their local 911 service.

• If you see an impaired driver on the road, contact local law enforcement. Your actions could help save someone’s life.

The funding for this crackdown and mobile application 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 (NHTSA).