{"id":65079,"date":"2015-12-20T07:20:18","date_gmt":"2015-12-20T12:20:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/?p=65079"},"modified":"2015-12-20T07:20:18","modified_gmt":"2015-12-20T12:20:18","slug":"state-police-drive-sober-or-get-pulled-over","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/madisoncountycourier.com\/?p=65079","title":{"rendered":"State Police: \u2018Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"drive_sober_or_get_pulled_over_logo(1)\"<\/a>(Dec. 2015) The New York State Police and local law enforcement across New York will participate in the national \u201cDrive Sober or Get Pulled Over\u201d campaign, which began Friday Dec. 18 and runs through Friday Jan. 1.Drivers can expect to see sobriety checkpoints and increased patrols along roadways during the campaign, which is funded through the Governor\u2019s Traffic Safety Committee.<\/p>\n

In addition to the DWI checkpoints and patrols, Troopers will be watching for distracted drivers, vehicle occupants who are not properly buckled up and drivers violating the \u201cMove Over Law,\u201d which requires motorists to exercise extreme caution when passing emergency vehicles that are stopped in or on the side of the road.<\/p>\n

Superintendent Joseph A. D\u2019Amico said, \u201cTraffic safety will be a top priority this holiday season. Troopers will be out on our highways and very visible through New Year\u2019s, with the goal of making everyone\u2019s holiday a safe one. If you\u2019re celebrating, please do so responsibly. Don\u2019t drink and drive, and if you are drinking, designate a sober driver or plan ahead for a ride home. Impaired drivers cause needless deaths and injuries. Have a plan and you could save a life \u2013 maybe even your own.\u201d<\/p>\n

During the campaign, Troopers will be using both marked State Police vehicles and Concealed Identity Traffic Enforcement (CITE) vehicles as part of the operation. The CITE vehicles allow Troopers to more easily identify motorists who are using handheld devices while driving. These vehicles blend in with every day traffic but are unmistakable as emergency vehicles once the emergency lighting is activated.<\/p>\n

During last year\u2019s crackdown, State Police issued more than 49,000 tickets. Of those tickets more than 17,000 were for speeding, 1,730 were for distracted driving and 697 for the \u201cMove Over Law.\u201d There was also 702 people arrested for DWI and 13 people killed in vehicle crashes.<\/p>\n

The facts are grim: During the 2013 holiday period, 1,180 people nationwide were killed on the road, with almost a third of the fatalities related to drunk driving. On Christmas Day that year, 23 people were killed by drunk drivers.<\/p>\n

To keep our roads safer this holiday season, the New York State Police, the GTSC and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offer these tips:<\/p>\n