LONG ISLAND, NY — Anyone thinking that they might as well have just another drink for the road this holiday season better think again as law enforcement will be cracking down on drunken driving.
Suffolk Sheriff Errol Toulon said he is ramping up his office’s Driving While Intoxicated patrols, including increased patrols and checkpoints over Christmas and New Year’s weekend “to keep roadways safe for the upcoming holidays.”
“Our deputy sheriffs continue to do an incredible job patrolling for impaired drivers,” he said. “This year they surpassed the previous year’s DWI arrests — making many lifesaving arrests, including Leandra’s Law and wrong-way drivers. They will end the year strong with enhanced DWI enforcement over the next two holiday weekends so we can all safely celebrate with friends and family.”
Toulon’s DWI Enforcement Team has made a record amount of DWI arrests this year with more than 200 arrests to date. So far this year, there were 31 aggravated DWI charges, including 19 with prior DWI arrests, one wrong-way driver, and two arrests under Leandra’s Law, which makes it a felony to drive under the influence with a child in a vehicle.
Leandra’s Law is named after 11-year-old Leandra Rosado who was killed on the Henry Hudson Parkway on October 11, 2009, when she was the passenger in a car accident, driven by a driver who was driving while intoxicated.
The office netted six arrests, including one involving a driver in a vehicle that was reported stolen, over Thanksgiving weekend, Toulon’s office said.
Suffolk’s police department added extra enforcement since just before Thanksgiving. Over the holiday, officers logged in 27 arrests from Wednesday, Nov. 22 at 4 p.m. to Monday, Nov. 27 at 8 a.m.
Over a similar time span, Nassau police arrested 26.
State troopers made 21 DWI arrests across Long Island over Thanksgiving, a spokesman said.
The number was down from last year’s 31.
Gov. Kathy Hochul said state police will also be targeting drunk drivers leading up to New Year’s by taking part in the national campaign, “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.”
In addition to the DWI checkpoints and patrols, the troopers will also watch for distracted drivers, vehicle occupants who are not properly buckled up, and drivers violating the “Move Over Law,” requiring motorists exercise extreme caution when passing emergency vehicles that are stopped in or on the side of the road.
Underage drinking enforcement details will be conducted also.
“Impaired driving is reckless, dangerous, and illegal, and we have zero tolerance for it on New York’s roadways,” she said. “We’re sending a clear message this holiday season that those in violation of our vehicle and traffic laws will be ticketed or face criminal charges.”
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