Statewide STOP-DWI Campaign Starts Today, Ends Monday

Utica, NY (WIBX) - A statewide STOP-DWI crackdown has kicked off today in an effort to ensure the public's saftey during the green holiday weekend.

The campaing to stop drunk driving ends on Monday, March 20, 2011, after the St. Patrick's Day celebration. Law enforcement agencies will be out in full force to carry out sobriety checkpoints and patrols, and are reminding motorists that driving with a blood alcohol content level of 0.08 or higher, will put them over the limit, and behind bars.

Other STOP-DWI crackdown periods are:

• February 3rd – February 6th, Super Bowl
• May 27th – May 30th, Memorial Day
• June 19th – July 4th, Fourth of July
• August 19th – September 5th – National Enforcement Crackdown
• October 26th – October 31st, Halloween
• November 23rd – December 31st, Holiday Season

Officials say, "STOP-DWI, or 'Special Traffic Options Program for Driving While Intoxicated,' is a comprehensive and financially self-sustaining highway safety program. All 62 counties are participating in the program, which allows each to qualify for the return of all fines collected for alcohol and other drug-related traffic offenses occurring within its jurisdiction."