Statewide crackdown on impaired and distracted drivers during holiday weekend

A statewide crackdown on impaired and distracted driving is underway for the long Memorial Day weekend and local law enforcement will be joining the New York State Police in taking the zero tolerance approach.  Chautauqua County Sheriff Joe Gerace is coordinating the Chautauqua County STOP DWI program.  Gerace says it's a personal mission of his to get drunk and drugged drivers off the highway...

Gerace-Wants to get impaired drivers off the highway

The problem of distracted driving continues to grow.  Gerace is especially concerned about younger drivers and their attachment to hand held devices...

Gerace-Concerned about younger drivers

Drivers can expect to see sobriety checkpoints and increased patrols by law enforcement agencies during the holiday weekend. State Police say that troopers arrested 187 people for DWI and issued more than 12,000 tickets during the Memorial Day weekend in 2015.  

Traffic building on the New York State Thruway near Ripley