Oswego County to Participate in Statewide STOP-DWI Super Bowl Weekend

by Submitted article | January 30, 2014 10:58 am

Oswego County STOP-DWI Coordinator Robert Lighthall announced today that Oswego County police agencies will participate in a special enforcement effort to crackdown on impaired driving.

The statewide STOP-DWI Crackdown efforts start on January 31 and will end on February 3.

Super Bowl Weekend 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 to reduce the number of alcohol related injuries and deaths.

“Have a Plan before the party begins – designate a driver, call a taxi or make overnight arrangements,” said Lighthall.

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 drunk or impaired drivers. Highly visible, highly publicized efforts like the STOP-DWI Crackdown Campaign aim to further reduce the incidence of drunk and impaired driving.

According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2011, 9,878 people were killed in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes.

These crashes were 31 percent more likely to occur on weekends than on weekdays. Remember, Fans Don’t Let Fans Drive Drunk. Before choosing to drink, choose your team’s MVP – a sober designated driver. NHTSA offers these additional safety tips – If you’re attending a Super Bowl party or watching the game at a sports bar or restaurant:

• Designate your sober driver, or plan another way to get home safely, before the party begins.

• If you don’t have a designated driver, then ask a sober friend for a ride home; call a cab, friend, or family member to come and get you; or just stay for the night.

• Never let friends drive if they have had too much to drink.

If you’re hosting a Super Bowl party:

• Make sure all your guests designate a sober driver in advance, or arrange for alternate transportation to ensure they get home safely.

• Serve food and include non-alcoholic beverages at the party.

• Stop serving alcohol at the end of the third quarter of the game and begin serving coffee and dessert.

• Keep the numbers for local cab companies handy, and take the keys away from anyone who has had too much to drink.

Source URL: https://oswegocountytoday.com/community/oswego-county-to-participate-in-statewide-stop-dwi-super-bowl-weekend-2/

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