Press release:
Genesee County STOP-DWI Coordinator Matt Landers announced today that the Genesee County Sheriff’s Office, City of Batavia Police Department and the Village of Le Roy police Department will participate in a special enforcement effort to crackdown on impaired driving.
While we spend the Labor Day holiday and the end of summer celebrating with our loved ones, law enforcement officers across New York State will take to the roads in an effort to stop impaired driving, prevent injuries and save lives. The statewide STOP-DWI Crackdown efforts start on Aug. 18th and will end on Sept. 4th. New York State Police, County Sheriff and municipal law enforcement agencies across the state will be out in force.
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.
According to new data released by NHTSA, the nation lost 35,092 people in traffic crashes in 2015, ending a five-decade trend of declining fatalities with a 7.2-percent increase in deaths from 2014. The data showed a 3.2-percent increase in drunk driving fatalities, resulting in 10,265 deaths in 2015, compared to 9,943, in 2014. The vast majority of drivers involved in these crashes were behind the wheel of a passenger car or SUV.
The STOP-DWI Labor Day Weekend Crackdown is one of many statewide enforcement initiatives promoted by the New York State STOP-DWI Association with additional funding from our STOP-DWI Foundation and the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee. Throughout the remainder of the year the Statewide STOP-DWI Crackdown Campaign will also target Halloween and the national Holiday Season in December.
While STOP-DWI efforts across New York have led to significant reductions in the numbers of alcohol- and drug-related fatalities, still too many lives are being lost because of crashes caused by drunk or impaired drivers. Highly visible, highly publicized efforts like the STOP-DWI Crackdown Campaign aim to further reduce the incidence of drunk and impaired driving. Have a safe and happy Labor Day Weekend!
