Memorial Day is one of the busiest travel holidays of the year. For many Americans, it marks the unofficial start of summer. That brings with it a fair share of celebratory drinking. In some cases, that can result in a spike in impaired driving. To combat this, New York State Police and local law enforcement will be cracking down on drunk driving and other traffic violations as part of the STOP-DWI Impaired Driving Crackdown.
The enforcement event will begin Friday, May 24 through Tuesday, May 28. State troopers, county sheriffs, and municipal law enforcement agencies will collaborate across the state to reduce the number of impaired driving-related injuries and deaths. It will take place simultaneously with another enforcement event, the “Buckle Up New York, Click it or Ticket” seatbelt initiative, which began May 20 and will run through June 2.
Law enforcement deliberately makes these campaigns highly visible as the crackdowns can reduce the incidence of drunk and impaired driving, according to STOP-DWI. Police will be setting up DWI checkpoints, in addition to boosting patrols of both marked and unmarked police vehicles. Drunk driving is not the only thing police will be more mindful for; STOP-DWI enforcement campaigns typically result in an increase in traffic tickets for offenses such as speeding, texting while driving, not wearing a seatbelt, and violating NY’s Move Over law.
Anyone out celebrating during Memorial Day weekend is encouraged to have a sober plan. To that effect, STOP-DWI has produced a mobile app to help New Yorkers coordinate designated drivers or find alternative transportation in the event of over-intoxication. The app is available for both Apple and Android devices.
In New York, a person is considered to be legally drunk if he or she has a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08 percent or higher. A DWI conviction can result in a sentence of up to one year in prison and fines of up to $1,000. If a driver has a BAC of 0.18 percent or higher, the charge becomes aggravated driving while intoxicated and fines go up to as much as $2,000. A conviction could also force the driver to install a costly vehicle interlock device or attend a victim impact program.
If you or someone you love has been ticketed as part of the NY’s Memorial Day STOP-DWI Impaired Driving Crackdown or for any other reason, contact an attorney right away for help. The lawyers at Rosenblum Law are experienced traffic ticket attorneys who can fight for your rights and to reduce the consequences of a ticket. Email or call 888-883-5529 for a free consultation about your case.
