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Law enforcement agencies in Onondaga County and across New York state have been cracking down on drunk driving as part of a statewide effort.

The “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign, which ran throughout the state from Aug. 19 to Sep. 7, encourages police departments to take a more aggressive approach to preventing driving under the influence. The annual campaign occurs multiple times each year as part of the state’s STOP-DWI program, which aims to reduce crashes caused by drivers under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

Counties in New York issued 3,262 tickets for impaired driving during the Labor Day enforcement crackdown, Cuomo announced in a statement on Sept. 18. The Syracuse Police Department, the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Department and New York State Police said they issued at least 15 DWI tickets combined in Onondaga County during the crackdown.

“New York has zero tolerance for impaired driving,” Gov. Andrew Cuomo said in a press announcement. “Our message is simple — drive sober or plan for a safe ride home. Impaired driving puts you and all those sharing the road at risk — it’s just not worth it.”

The crackdowns generally focus on holidays or other time periods when driving under the influence may become more prevalent. SPD issued nine tickets for impaired driving during the 20-day crackdown period, said Sgt. Matthew Malinowski, SPD’s public information officer, in an email to The Daily Orange.

Sgt. Jon Seeber of Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the county issued one DWI ticket during the crackdown. The state police also made five DWI arrests in Onondaga County during the crackdown period, according to New York State Police’s public information office.

Barry Weiss, Onondaga County’s STOP-DWI coordinator, said the program has significantly decreased the number of impaired driving cases in New York in recent years.

The state legislature created the STOP-DWI program in 1981, funding it entirely through the fines paid by individuals convicted of driving while under the influence. Each county operates its own program with broad discretion.

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Methods for cracking down on drunk driving vary from county to county, Weiss said. The state’s commissioner of motor vehicles approves each county’s program expenditure, and periodically evaluates the programs for the reference of the governor and the state Legislature, he said.

Fatal traffic crashes in New York state caused by impaired driving dropped more than 19% from 2010 to 2019, according to the governor’s press release on Sept. 18.

Weiss said the decline could be attributed to the rise of public awareness about the dangers of driving under the influence, which is the goal of the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign. The campaign focuses on educating drivers, not just punishing them, he said.

“A lot of it is about the awareness about the issue, and hopefully people will make these proper decisions before they consider drinking and driving,” Weiss said. “People should be aware 365 days a year, not just during certain holidays or certain days of the crackdowns.”

Published on September 27, 2020 at 11:24 pm

Contact Francis: btang05@syr.edu | @francis_towne