ALBANY – Governor Andrew Cuomo Friday announced that the State Police will partner with local law enforcement agencies statewide, including here in Chautauqua County, to crack down on impaired and reckless driving during Super Bowl weekend.
The STOP-DWI campaign will include underage drinking enforcement, along with increased patrols and sobriety checkpoints to deter, identify, and arrest impaired drivers. The enforcement initiative, which runs from Saturday, February 1 through Monday, February 3, is funded by the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee.
“The Super Bowl is one of the biggest events of the entire year, and I am encouraging New Yorkers to enjoy it responsibly,” Governor Cuomo said. “It is simple: If you are drinking, do not get behind the wheel. New York has zero tolerance for drunk driving, and our police will be aggressively enforcing the law this weekend to keep New Yorkers safe.”
Too many lives are still being lost because of crashes caused by impaired drivers. The STOP-DWI efforts across New York have led to significant reductions in the number of drinking and driving fatalities. During the 2019 Super Bowl campaign, State Police arrested 139 people for impaired driving and issued 7,891 tickets.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 10,511 people were killed in alcohol-impaired crashes in 2018. Drivers should remember that they are putting not only their lives, but the lives of others, in jeopardy when they choose to drink and drive. NHTSA reports that 30 people die each day in alcohol-related vehicle crashes. That’s one person every 48 minutes.
If you are hosting guests during the Super Bowl, please designate a responsible driver in advance to help your guests get home safely.
- Ask all of your guests to designate their sober drivers in advance, or help them arrange ridesharing with sober drivers. If you don’t drink, offer to drive guests home.
- Serve plenty of food and non-alcoholic beverages at the party.
- Stop serving alcohol at the end of the third quarter—this is a good time to serve coffee and dessert.
- Sign up online for a ridesharing service or keep the phone numbers of local cab companies on hand and take the keys away from any guests who are thinking of driving after drinking.
- The Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee and the New York State STOP-DWI Foundation “Have a Plan” mobile app, is available for Apple, Droid and Windows smartphones. The app enables New Yorkers to locate and call a taxi service and program a designated driver list. It also provides information on DWI laws and penalties, and an option to report a suspected impaired driver.
- Remember, if you serve a guest alcohol and he or she gets in a crash that night, you could be held liable.
- If an underage person drinks and drives, the parent or guardian can be legally liable for any damage, injury or death caused by the underage driver.
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