According to the New York State Police (NYSP), drunk drivers cause more than 17,000 deaths annually. This equates to 310 funerals each week or one death every 30 minutes. The NYSP further reports that  in New York State slightly more than 30 percent of the fatal crashes are alcohol related.

Those numbers are staggering.

The Governor’s office reported that over Fourth of July Weekend, New York State Police and local law enforcement agencies increased patrols to crack down on drunk and drugged driving and other traffic infractions.

State Troopers conducted sobriety checkpoints and targeted reckless and aggressive driving statewide to keep New York highways safe during what is often considered the biggest travel weekend of the summer.

Governor Kathy Hochul said the State has, “zero tolerance for drivers whose reckless actions endanger the lives of others and will hold those who do so accountable.”

We certainly thank the efforts of local law enforcement and elected officials for their roles in limiting incidents of people driving impaired.

We also want to give kudos to law enforcement and school districts for the programs and demonstrations they put on to educate students on the dangers of substance use, as well as driving while impaired.

While our population usually increases almost four-fold in the summertime, recent inflation is expected to have families taking their vacations closer to home.

Last Thursday during the Public Safety and Law Enforcement Committee meeting of the Sullivan County Legislature, Undersheriff Eric Chaboty noted that they expect it to be a busy summer in the area.

We may stand to benefit from a tourism perspective, but with more drivers on the road, it’s important we use extra caution, drive defensively and make smart decisions.

It’s never ok to drive while impaired, and those who have done it on more than one occasion may feel like it is something they can handle. But each time they do that, they are taking a risk, one that doesn’t just put themselves in harms way, but can result in them hurting someone else, or worse, taking a life.