On May 25, the governor of New York announced that the entire state will be increasing controls in order to combat impaired driving during Memorial Day weekend. The increased patrols are scheduled to run from May 27 to May 30. In 2014, 317 people were killed in the state of New York over Memorial Day weekend.
In a written statement, the governor stated that there is zero tolerance for drivers who operate their vehicle while impaired or who drive recklessly. The increased police patrols will ensure that everyone may have a safe holiday weekend. The State Police superintendent also reminded that motorists should drive only while sober and avoid smartphone use while in their vehicles.
The report stated that drivers may see an increase in sobriety checkpoints in addition to more patrols. Both marked police vehicles and undercover vehicles will be in use over the holiday weekend. The concealed vehicles, known as Concealed Identity Traffic Enforcement vehicles, allow law enforcement to observe potential impaired or reckless drivers. During last year’s Memorial Day holiday weekend, 187 people were taken into custody for impaired drinking while more than 12,000 tickets were issued.
Those who are facing DWI charges can potentially lose their license, spend time in prison and face major fines if they are convicted. Depending on the circumstances, a defense attorney may potentially minimize certain consequences by obtaining a hardship driving privilege that still allows the person to get to work. Additionally, the attorney may negotiate with the prosecution so that the person can seek treatment for an addiction in lieu of spending time in jail. Otherwise, the attorney may challenge the charges if the chain of evidence was broken or if the authorities did not follow proper procedures.
Source: Ossining-Croton-On-Hudson Patch, “NY Cops Add DWI Crackdown to Holiday Weekend Seatbelt Campaign“, Lanning Taliaferro, May 25, 2016
