Press release:
Genesee County STOP-DWI Coordinator Matt Landers announced that the Genesee County Sheriff’s Department, 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 during the Thanksgiving holiday.
Landers says while we spend Thanksgiving with friends and family giving praise and thanks for our good fortune and blessings, 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 Nov. 26 and end on Nov. 30.
New York State Police, county sheriffs and municipal law enforcement agencies across the state will be out in force. Research shows that high-visibility enforcement can reduce drunk-driving fatalities by as much as 20 percent. Sobriety checkpoints play a key part in raising awareness about the problem.
Sheriff Gary T. Maha says, “Driving is the most dangerous thing you routinely do and holidays put additional vehicles on our highways increasing the risk. Remember to put aside your phone and all other distractions and concentrate on driving; a task that demands your full attention.”
The STOP-DWI Thanksgiving Weekend Crackdown is one of many statewide enforcement initiatives promoted by the New York State STOP-DWI Association with additional funding from the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee and implemented by the STOP-DWI Foundation. Throughout the remainder of the year the statewide STOP-DWI Crackdown Campaign will also target 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. It is significant to note that in 2012, 416 motorists died in traffic crashes during the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend, the highest toll of deaths for any holiday weekend period. According to NHTSA data, 60 percent of the passenger vehicle occupants killed were not wearing their seat belts and 42 percent were killed in crashes that involved a drunk driver who had a blood-alcohol content of .08 BAC or higher.
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 Thanksgiving Weekend!
