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.
The statewide STOP-DWI Crackdown efforts start on May 26th and will end on May 30th. Memorial Day week is historically a deadly period for impaired driving. Memorial Day weekend is the traditional beginning of summer. In addition, there will be thousands of parties and barbecues to celebrate graduations, proms, communions, confirmations and the fact that the better weather has arrived. This combination of factors equates to more people on the road in general and more people specifically driving impaired with 13 percent more fatalities than on a non-holiday weekend.
The New York State Police, County Sheriff, and municipal law enforcement agencies will collaborate across the state and will be out in force in this coordinated effort to reduce the number of alcohol-related injuries and deaths during this period.
Batavia City Police Chief Shawn Heubusch said, “the Memorial Day Holiday is a time to spend with family and friends, please do so responsibly and Have a Plan. Officers will be extra vigilant this Memorial Day Holiday for those operating a vehicle under the influence.”
Sheriff William A. Sheron said, “As we travel down the highway this Memorial Day Weekend, let’s remember that it only takes a couple of seconds of distraction for your vehicle to cross over into oncoming traffic changing lives forever. Put down the cell phone, eat before or after you drive, pull over to adjust your GPS device; drive time is not spare time. Give all your attention to one of the most dangerous things we do -- drive a car.”
The Memorial Day Weekend Crackdown is one of many statewide enforcement initiatives promoted by the New York State STOP-DWI Association with additional funding from the STOP-DWI Foundation with a grant from the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee. The Statewide STOP-DWI Crackdown Campaign also targets 4th of July and Labor Day Weekend, 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.
