State police increase patrols for St. Patrick’s Day weekend
New York State police will be stepping up impaired driving patrols for St. Patrick’s Day weekend.
State and local police will be watching for drivers who appear drunk or impaired Friday through Sunday, with additional patrols, sobriety checkpoints and stings to catch underage drinking and illegal alcohol sales planned.
Police said they will also be cracking down on distracted driving and issuing tickets for drivers who are caught using handheld electronic devices.
During St. Patrick’s Day weekend 2017, police said troopers made 229 DWI arrests and issued 15,000 tickets. Local law enforcement agencies across the state made 65 DWI arrests, three DWAI-drug only arrests, 76 other arrests and issued 972 summonses.
Those convicted of drunken driving face jail time, a license suspension and fines up to $10,000.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said St. Patrick’s Day is one of the deadliest holidays and drunken driving on the day has claimed 269 lives between 2012 and 2016.
Police also offered tips for revelers who plan to drink this weekend:
- Plan a way to get home or designate a sober driver in advance.
- If you are impaired, don’t be afraid to use public transportation or call a taxi, ride-sharing service or friends and family for help getting home.
- Walking home can also be dangerous if you are impaired, so designated a sober walking buddy.
- If available, use your community’s sober ride program.
- If you believe you see a drunken driver on the road, call police.
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