Oneida County Joins Statewide STOP-DWI Fourth of July Campaign

Enforcement Operation Takes Place July 1-5

County Executive Anthony J. Picente Jr. announced today that the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office, county police agencies and New York State Police will be participating in a special statewide operation to combat impaired driving this holiday weekend.

The STOP-DWI High Visibility Engagement Campaign will start on July 1st and end on July 5th.

“The Fourth of July extended weekend is historically a deadly period for impaired driving and with the holiday falling on a Monday this year, heavy travel is expected,” Picente said. “Americans love to celebrate the Fourth of July with family, friends, food and fireworks, but all too often the festivities turn tragic when people make poor decisions to drive under the influence. Our county law enforcement agencies will be out in full force making sure our roadways are as safe as possible.”

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2020 alone, 493 people died in motor vehicle crashes over the July 4th holiday period, with 41 percent of those fatalities involving alcohol.

“The Sheriff’s Office is committed to doing all we can to keep our roadways safe, and two of the most important ways are to remove drunk drivers and lower speeds,” said Oneida County Sheriff Robert Maciol. “We have always had zero tolerance for driving while intoxicated in Oneida County and the upcoming holiday weekend is no different.”

The STOP-DWI Fourth of July High Visibility Engagement Campaign is one of many statewide initiatives promoted by STOP-DWI NY and the Governor’s Traffic Safety Committee, designed specifically to combat the increase in impaired driving. The campaign also targets Memorial Day, Labor Day, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Holiday Season, Super Bowl weekend, and St. Patrick’s Day, all of which feature high rates of impaired driving crashes and fatalities.

Research done by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that programs like the High Visibility Engagement Campaign, which publicize and enforce the consequences of impaired driving, lead to reductions in fatalities by reducing the incidence of impaired driving.

For more information on STOP-DWI efforts in Oneida County, please visit www.ocgov.net/STOPDWI.