Stop DWI program in Genesee County seems to lead to decrease in drunken driving
If you get busted for DWI in Genesee County -- assuming you're convicted -- you're going to wind up paying out a good chunk of change that officials hope will help prevent a future DWI arrest, if not a tragic accident.
All of the fines collected from people convicted of DWI in Genesee County goes into a Stop DWI program administered by Assistant Court Manager Frank Ciaccia.
On Tuesday, Ciaccia presented a 2010-2011 budget for Stop DWI to the Legislature's Ways and Means Committee.
The budget of $262,000 distributes funds to the Sheriff's Office, Batavia Police, the courts, probation, prosecution and GCASA and are used by those agencies on either education about drinking and driving or to enforce existing laws.
Ciaccia thinks the programs, especially the education programs, have been working.
DWI arrests have been steadily declining for years, Ciaccia said. From 2008 to 2009, DWI arrests in Genesee County dropped from 356 to 321.
"More people just know not to drink and drive," Ciaccia said.
Stop DWI is funded entirely by DWI conviction fines, and 100 percent of those fines go to Stop DWI programs.
