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Stop DWI Program

According to the National Highway Safety Administration, about 30% of all traffic crash fatalities in the United States involve drunk drivers. In 2020 11,654 people, one person every 45 minutes, were killed in these preventable accidents, a 14% increase from 2019. Sadly, about 1,000 children are killed by drunk drivers every year in the US, and more than 2,000 college students aged between 18 and 24 die every year from motor vehicle accidents and unintentional alcohol-related injuries. Drunk drivers with a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of 0.10 are seven times more likely to be in a fatal accident than sober drivers.

Driving while intoxicated is a serious crime. Judgement and coordination change when an individual consumes any amount of alcohol.  The level of impairment depends on five conditions:

  • the amount of alcohol you drink
  • the amount of food you eat before or while you drink alcohol
  • the length of time you drink alcohol
  • your body weight
  • your gender

Because of this variability, there is no sure way to know if you are legal intoxicated but drinking more than a drink an hour is likely to increase your blood alcohol content enough to push you over the legal limit.

New York State has some of the most stringent drunk driving laws in the nation.

  • A Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of .08 or higher constitutes Driving While Intoxicated (DWI). For commercial drivers the limit is .04
  • A BAC of .05 to .08 constitutes driving while Ability Impaired (DWAI)
  • A driver who is less than 21 years of age who drives with a BAC of .02 to .07 BAC violates the Zero Tolerance Law
  • Driving with impairment of ability by a drug or drugs (legal and/or illicit) is also a crime

In New York State, the penalties for an alcohol or drug-related violation depend on the facts of the case and include the loss of driving privileges, fines, and a possible jail term.

The Croton-on-Hudson Police Department is committed to reducing driving while intoxicated in our community. Officers regularly speak in Croton schools to give students important information and the tools they need to empower them to make knowledgeable decision about alcohol and substance use. The New York State Stop DWI program provides funding which enables the Department to deploy officers to patrol our highways and enforce DWI laws. Through Crackdown Detail, another NY State funded program, the Department joins other local jurisdictions to enforce impaired driving laws on holidays.  These programs help police departments deploy additional staff to enforce DWI laws and save lives. Enforcing traffic violations is also a mechanism utilized to reduce drunk driving, giving officers the opportunity to assess whether a driver is under the influence of alcohol or other substances.

This article was written by members of the Police Advisory Committee as part of the Community Information Project.