Residents throughout New York State are busy preparing for the upcoming holidays. For many, this time of year is about gathering with family and friends to eat, talk and reflect. Frequently, these types of holiday celebrations also include alcoholic beverages and, for those individuals who must drive home from a celebration, it’s important to have a designated driver.
Recently, Governor Andrew M. Cuomo announced the state’s participation in the national “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign. The campaign starts today and runs through January 1. During this timeframe, drivers will see more police officers on the roads as well as sobriety checkpoints. Additionally, there will be an increase in the number of Concealed Identity Traffic Enforcement vehicles, making it much more difficult for drivers to identify and avoid patrolling officers.
The state participated in the same campaign last year, which resulted in police issuing nearly 50,000 traffic tickets, 702 of which were related to drunk driving. Additionally, national statistics from 2013 show that drinking and driving was cited as a factor in roughly one-third of the holiday season crashes in which 1,180 people total were killed.
To ensure that everyone has a merry and happy holiday season, individuals who plan to drink would be wise to abstain from getting behind the wheel of a motor vehicle. Relying on a sober relative or friend, calling a taxi or taking a bus are all alternative ways to safely get home and to avoid being pulled over by the police.
In cases where an individual ends up being charged with a DWI, he or she should immediately contact an attorney. A criminal defense attorney who handles DWI cases can answer questions, discuss options and work to win a dismissal of criminal charges.
Source: Hudson Valley News Network, “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over National Crackdown Begins,” Kathy Welsh, Dec. 17, 2015
