Hoping to deter drunk driving
The Putnam County Sheriff and Carmel Police Department said they will increase patrols and establish sobriety checkpoints from March 17 to 20 to deter drunk driving as part of a statewide crackdown during the St. Patrick’s Day and weekend following. The New York State STOP-DWI Association, which promotes the initiate, points to research that says that high-visibility enforcement can reduce drunk-driving fatalities at holidays by as much as 20 percent.
“We are letting people know this in advance as a deterrent,” said Putnam County Sheriff Donald Smith, “and to remind folks that they must drink responsibly or make appropriate plans now to either have a designated driver or use a taxi.”
The STOP-DWI campaign also targets Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving and the December holiday season.
