Law enforcement officials are participating in the statewide initiative. New York State Police and local departments are increasing enforcement efforts as part of a national crackdown on impaired driving.
The campaign, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, runs through Sept. 7 (Labor Day) and is aimed at significantly reducing deaths and injuries caused by motorists driving drunk or impaired by drugs.
In New York State for example, .08 percent BAC is the legal threshold for driving while intoxicated, but many offenders are arrested at nearly twice that level: statewide, the average BAC of those arrested for alcohol-impaired driving is more than .14.
In June 2015, officials announced that New York State had kept more than 7,500 repeat offenders off the road since implementing tougher DWI regulations in September 2012. Those individuals were denied licenses either permanently or for an additional five years after having three or more alcohol or drug-related driving offenses on their record. As of July 31, the number has risen to more than 8,000.