In an unprecedented 143-hour crackdown, New York State Police utilized DWI patrols, sobriety checkpoints and undercover officers to put a curb on dangerous St. Patrick’s day events. The campaign went beyond DWI related infractions and also targeted aggressive drivers, drivers using hand-held devices and underrage drinkers. The effort officially began on March 12, 2016 and ended March 17, 2016.
Prior to the start of the special traffic enforcement efforts, New York State Police Superintendent Joseph A. D/Amico stated, “The State Police urge everyone to have a plan this St. Patrick’s Day. If you plan on drinking, designate a sober driver. A day of celebrating can quickly turn to tragedy because of impaired driving. Help us to keep New York’s roads the safest in the nation by planning ahead to stay safe.”
St. Patrick’s day is known for being one of the deadliest holidays due to the number of intoxicated drivers on the road. The National Highway Safety Administration has seen the loss of 266 lives on the holiday between 2010 to 2014. In 2014, 28% of all crash fatalities were killed over the St. Patrick’s Day holiday period.
At the end of the 143-hour period the totals stood at the following:
- 257 DWI Charges
- 6422 Speeding Tickets
- 627 Distracted Driving Tickets
- 503 Seatbelt Violations
- 159 Move-Over-Law-Infractions
The campaign was a success over a similar initiative created the previous years which totaled 264 DWI arrests and a total of 14,113 tickets.
