JOHNSTOWN — Fulton County will participate in a statewide Special Traffic Program for Driving while intoxicated. Fulton County police agencies will participate in a special enforcement effort to crackdown on impaired driving through Monday, according to a news release.
Americans celebrate the Fourth of July with family, friends, food and fireworks but the festivities often turn tragic on the nation’s roads. There is no excuse for getting behind the wheel if anyone has been drinking.
One’s life and the lives of friends and family are too important to not have a plan to get home safely. Car services, taxis, and local transit provide some options for a safe ride. The New York State Police, county sheriff and municipal law enforcement agencies will collaborate across the state and will be out in force in this coordinated effort to reduce the number of alcohol related injuries and deaths during this period.
The research shows that high-visibility enforcement can reduce drunk driving fatalities by as much as 20 percent. This American holiday is also one of the deadliest holidays of the year due to drunk-driving crashes.
While STOP-DWI efforts across the state have led to significant reductions in the numbers of alcohol and drug related fatalities, too many lives are being lost because of crashes caused by drunk or impaired drivers. According to data from National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, during the 2015 Fourth of July holiday, 146 people were killed in drunk driving crashes. Nearly two-thirds of those killed were in crashes where at least one driver had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.15 or higher — almost twice the legal limit.
The STOP-DWI Foundation has created a new Mobile App – “Have A Plan” that is available as a free download for smart phones to help find safe rides home no matter where one is celebrating. Go to www.stopdwi.org/mobileapp or visit the app store.
