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Police will be cracking down on drunk driving for the holiday weekend

New York State Police will increase patrols for Memorial Day weekend to stop impaired and reckless drivers.

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Ahead of Memorial Day weekend, New York State Police is reminding people to be safe and smart when it comes to driving after gatherings. 

“On Memorial Day, we take time to honor the brave men and women who died in service to our county, remembering the sacrifice they made for all of us. If your Memorial Day weekend celebrations include alcohol, remember to make safety your top priority and arrange for a safe ride home. Wear your seat belt, remain alert and above all, drive sober. Troopers will be highly visible this weekend and will have zero tolerance for impaired and reckless drivers,” New York State Police Acting Superintendent Steven A. Nigrelli said.

The enforcement period begins on Friday and will run through Tuesday. It is one of the busiest travel holidays of the year. Extra enforcement will be out to look for impaired and reckless drivers.

“I thank and commend New York State Police and all our other law enforcement agencies for their commitment to keeping our roadways as safe as possible. There will be a lot of traffic on the road during Memorial Day weekend as the summer travel season begins. If you are going to be drinking or using drugs, please do not drive. Have a plan to designate a driver or arrange for a ride. We want everyone to enjoy a safe and happy holiday weekend, without having their memories marred by a needless tragedy,” New York State Department of Motor Vehicles Commissioner and Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee Chair Mark J.F. Schroeder said.

Sobriety checkpoints are expected throughout the weekend. Troopers will be using both marked and unmarked cars to monitor drivers. 

Last year, 237 people were killed and 4,394 people were injured in drink driving related accidents, according to data from Institute for Traffic Safety Management and Research.

On Memorial Day weekend last year, troopers arrested 213 people for driving under the influence, issued 13,688 total tickets, and investigated 808 crashes, which caused four deaths. 

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