allen riley(Wampsville, NY- Dec. 2013) Madison County Sheriff Allen Riley recently announced that Madison County law enforcement agencies will participate in special enforcement efforts to crackdown on impaired driving.

The statewide STOP-DWI Crackdown efforts started Dec. 12 and will end Jan. 1. The holiday season is historically a deadly period for impaired driving. New York State Police, county sheriff and municipal law enforcement agencies across the state will be out in force in this across the board effort to reduce the number of alcohol- and drug-related injuries and deaths.

The STOP-DWI Holiday Season Crackdown is one of many statewide enforcement initiatives promoted by the New York State STOP-DWI Association. Additional funding through the STOPDWI Foundation will allow our law enforcement agencies to concentrate heavily on this three week period to keep our loved ones safe while traveling for the holidays.

“We want people to enjoy the holiday and all its’ festivities, but above all – be safe and be careful,” said Sheriff Allen Riley. “The rate of alcohol impairment among drivers involved in fatal crashes is four times higher at night than during the day.”

While STOP-DWI efforts across New York have led to significant reductions in the numbers of alcohol- and drug-related fatalities, still too many lives are being lost because of crashes caused by impaired drivers. Highly visible, highly publicized efforts like the STOP-DWI Crackdown Campaign aim to further reduce the incidence of impaired driving.

Riley said that impaired drivers not only take the risk of hurting or killing themselves or someone else, the trauma and financial costs of an alcohol-impaired-driving crash or an arrest can be significant. Violators often face jail time, the loss of their driver’s licenses, higher insurance rates and dozens of other unanticipated expenses.

“Alcohol impairs many of the skills that safe driving requires,” Riley said. “So we will be showing zero tolerance, and anyone caught driving with a BAC of .08 or higher will be arrested. It’s simply not worth the risk to you or to the thousands of innocent victims who are hurt or killed each year by impaired drivers. So if you are over the limit, you will get arrested.”

Allen Riley is sheriff of Madison County.

By martha

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