Oswego County STOP-DWI Interim Coordinator Robert Lighthall announced that Oswego County police agencies will participate in a special high visibility engagement campaign to raise awareness about the dangers of impaired driving. The statewide STOP-DWI campaign will start Thursday, March 16 and end Sunday, March 19.

Lighthall said St. Patrick’s Day Weekend is a notoriously deadly period for impaired driving due to the number of celebrations and drivers on the road. “If you plan on consuming alcohol, have a plan before you start. Have a designated driver, call a taxi or walk. Whatever you do, just don’t drive,” he said.

New York State Police, Oswego County Sheriff patrols, and municipal law enforcement agencies across the state will be out in force in an across-the-board effort to reduce the number of alcohol-related injuries and deaths.

“While STOP-DWI efforts across New York have made great strides in reducing the numbers of alcohol and drug-related fatalities, still too many lives are being lost because of crashes caused by drunk or impaired drivers,” said Lighthall. “You can do your part to become part of the solution by downloading the free STOP-DWI mobile app ‘Have a Plan’ at www.stopdwi.org/mobileapp. As always, may the luck of the Irish be with you out on the roads!”

Highly visible, highly publicized efforts like the STOP-DWI “High Visibility Engagement Campaign” aim to further reduce the incidence of drunk and impaired driving. The St. Patrick’s Day Weekend is one of many statewide enforcement initiatives promoted by STOP-DWI NY and the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee. This partnership allows local programs to significantly increase their enforcement and public awareness efforts. The statewide STOP-DWI campaign also targets Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day Weekend, Halloween, Thanksgiving, the holiday season in December and Super Bowl weekend.