A HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON IS A SAFE HOLIDAY SEASON

The Message is Simple: Don't Make the Dangerous Decision to Drive Impaired

As Erie County Clerk, responsible for overseeing Auto Bureau operations, it is time to remind everyone this holiday season to not drink and drive or ride with anyone who is under the influence of alcohol or drugs. If you have had too much to drink, for everyone's sake, please do not get behind the wheel of your car.

We all look forward to celebrating this time of year with our family and friends, but if those celebrations include alcohol, you, as a driver, need to plan ahead and arrange for a safe ride home. People who make the dangerous decision to drink and drive will find that local law enforcement is serious about combatting reckless and irresponsible behavior.

New York State imposes harsh driver license penalties for those with an impaired driving charge for either alcohol or drugs. If convicted of a misdemeanor DWI, your license will be revoked for a minimum of 6 months. Aside from the tremendous expense for an attorney, fines and insurance premium increases, there is total disruption of normal life, including possible loss of job, accumulation of points on your license, to include forfeiture of driving privileges for repeat offenders.

We need to keep in mind that preventing drunk driving is everyone's business, and we all need to take a leadership role in this fight! Driving while impaired is simply not worth endangering the lives of innocent people, while ruining your own life in the process.

Every day in the United States, about 34 people die in alcohol-impaired driving crashes - that's roughly one death every 42 minutes. In 2023, there were 12,429 alcohol-impaired traffic fatalities nationwide.

According to police-reported data from New York State, in 2023 there were 1,104 total traffic fatalities, of which 259 were alcohol-related crashes and 201 fatalities, about 18% involved a driver confirmed to have been drinking.

Drug-impaired driving remains extremely dangerous. However, we lack reliable national statistics on drug-impaired driving fatalities, because testing and reporting are inconsistent. Still - whether due to alcohol or other drugs - impairment can slow reaction time, impair judgment, and reduce coordination - all of which make driving unsafe.

I want to also remind everyone it really makes no difference whether the driver is impaired by alcohol or drugs. You can't drive safely if you're impaired. That's why it's illegal in New York State to drive under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, opioids, methamphetamines, or any potentially impairing drug-prescribed or over the counter. Driving while impaired by any substance-legal or illegal-puts you and others in harm's way. Drug-impaired driving isn't a mistake; just like a DWI, it's a crime. Impairment is impairment, no matter what the substance. The facts are, if you feel different, you will drive different.

While celebrating the holidays, know the signs of when to hand over the keys and call a cab, a ride-sharing service or designate a sober driver before the party begins. Before the celebrations begin, make sure you've planned a safe ride home, especially with countless ride-sharing choices at your fingertips, driving impaired should never be an option.

As we head into the holidays, please remember to think twice before getting behind the wheel. Avoid distractions and never drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Together, we can help ensure a safe and joyful season for everyone in Erie County.