St. Patrick’s Day holiday brings DWI patrols starting Saturday

Drivers statewide can expect special patrols and sobriety checkpoints starting Saturday and through St. Patrick’s Day in an effort to curb drunken driving, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said Friday.

State Police and local law enforcement agencies will initiate special St. Patrick’s Day traffic enforcement efforts as celebrations begin this weekend, according to a news release from the governor’s office.

During the STOP DWI initiative, drivers can expect to face sobriety checkpoints, additional DWI patrols and patrols geared toward uncovering sales of alcoholic beverages to minors.

State Police also will be looking for drivers who use handheld electronic devices.

Cuomo said in the release that law enforcement agencies will be out in full force. “This state has zero tolerance for reckless and impaired driving, and I encourage all New Yorkers to celebrate responsibly,” he said.

Over the 2015 St. Patrick’s Day weekend, troopers made 264 arrests for DWI and issued more than 14,000 tickets, the release said.

State Police Superintendent Joseph D’Amico urged those celebrating to plan ahead. Designate a sober driver, he said.

“A day of celebrating can quickly turn to tragedy because of impaired driving,” D’Amico said.

St. Patrick’s Day is one of the deadliest holidays because of the number of drunken drivers on the road, the release said, citing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The agency said that in the St. Patrick’s Day periods of 2010 to 2014, drunken-driving crashes caused 266 deaths, including 29 in 2014.

The news release offered some advice to those who might celebrate, including using taxis to travel and even having a sober friend walk you home if you are impaired.