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State, Local Police Stage DWI Crackdown Through Labor Day Weekend

With Labor Day weekend quickly approaching and residents gearing up to say goodbye to summer with parties and celebrations, New York state and local law enforcement are doing the same, only with a focus on drunk and impaired drivers.

State and local law enforcement officials will crack down on drunk and drugged driving through Sept. 5 to help prevent death and injuries over the Labor Day holiday.

State and local law enforcement officials will crack down on drunk and drugged driving through Sept. 5 to help prevent death and injuries over the Labor Day holiday.

Photo Credit: Flickr user UCI-UC Irvine

To help reduce deaths and injuries across the state, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has directed the state police to ramp up enforcement efforts as part of a national crackdown on impaired driving, "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over." The campaign runs Thursday through Sept. 5, one of the deadliest times of year for drunk and drugged driving fatalities. 

“Drunk drivers are a danger to themselves and others, and law enforcement is committed to ensuring the safety of everyone on the road,” Cuomo said. “Impaired driving is a reckless and dangerous crime with potentially fatal consequences, and I urge New Yorkers to drive responsibly to avoid senseless tragedies.”

Last year, 41 counties participated in the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” Labor Day crackdown, resulting in 237 DWI/DWAI arrests, 17 drug recognition expert evaluations, 26 DWAI-drug only arrests, 317 other arrests, and more than 3,400 vehicle and traffic law summonses.

Impaired driving is a major contributor to crash fatalities. One-third of all traffic crash fatalities in the United States involve drunk drivers. In New York, alcohol involvement was listed as a contributing factor in more than 7,000 police-reported crashes in 2015, while illegal drugs contributed to more than 800 crashes. 

Additionally, impaired-driving crashes cost the United States $44 billion each year. The penalties for impaired driving are strict. Drivers convicted of DWI or DWAI three or more times in 15 years face a Class D felony charge, up to seven years in prison, and a fine up to $10,000.

For residents who don't' have a designated driver, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has made it even easier to get home safely with the free SaferRide mobile app, available through iTunes and Google Play. The app allows residents to call pre-selected contacts or a taxi and identifies their location.

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