Newest STOP DWI Campaign Points To Financial Cost Of Drunk Driving

Oriskany, NY (WIBX) - You've probably seen the signs and wondered what they meant? New billboards that read, 'You Can't Afford Me'.

For the past two weeks, the signs have only carried those four words. Starting today, there'll be an explaination of what it is that you can't afford - a DWI.

It's Oneida County's new STOP DWI campaign, calling attention to the financial burden of being caught intoxicated behind the wheel, which can be upto $10,000, officials say.

"The cost of one DWI can [equal] a new motorcycle, or a small swimming pool, a semester of college, or a ten person hot tub,'' County Executive Anthony Picente said.

"Every year, we see people seriously injured and some people killed as a result of DWI accidents," District Attorney Scott McNamara said. "We've already seen it this year, we saw it last year, and it continues to be a problem that plagues are community."

"This program points out something a lot of people don't realize, how much it costs even if you don't hurt somebody," McNamara said.

The number of drunk driving arrests in Oneida County fluctuates yearly, but is typically a little above or below 1,000, according to the county's STOP DWI Coordinator Michael Colangelo.