March 14, 2013 Each year, St. Patrick’s Day results in a higher number of drunk driving arrests and accidents. In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that between 2006 and 2010, an estimated 700 lives were lost to drunk drivers over the holiday. To reduce the number of Car Accidents associated with drinking and driving statewide, law enforcement agencies across New York are partnering to conduct a massive crackdown on drunk driving over the coming weekend. Cattaraugus County Sheriff, Timothy Whitcomb, explained to the Olean Times-Herald that motorists could expect to see sobriety checkpoints as well as a higher volume of officers patrolling the streets over the holiday weekend as part of the “Stop-DWI crackdown”. The operation is being conducted in conjunction with the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign and is being funded by a $55,000 grant provided by the federal government. The event will be the fourth of seven drunken driving campaigns the state has conducted during holidays that tend to see higher alcohol consumption. The programs were lauded as a success in the past, considering accident numbers during the campaigns have been reported as “minimal”. The Buffalo Personal Injury Lawyers with William Mattar Law Offices applaud the efforts law enforcement is making to improve highway safety. The firm also encourages anyone celebrating St. Patrick’s Day this weekend to utilize a designated driver.
Law Enforcement Cracking Down on St. Patrick’s Day Drunk Driving