Greenlawn – Huntington Town Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci, Deputy Supervisor, Councilman Ed Smyth, and Councilman Eugene Cook were joined by SCPD 2nd Precinct Inspector William Scrima, MADD National VP of Field Operations and NY & NJ Regional Executive Director Richard Mallow, and Alisa and John McMorris, parents of Andrew McMorris, the Long Island Boy Scout killed by a drunk driver in 2018, to highlight DWI awareness and prevention during the summer season’s “100 Deadliest Days” at Greenlawn Park on July 28.
Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci stated, “We are two months into the ‘100 Deadliest Days’ of summer and with the increase in fatal collisions we have seen this week alone across Long Island due to intoxicated, speeding and distracted drivers, we are calling on our community to avoid drinking or texting and driving. Stay alert and stay sober to stay in control of your vehicle and your reaction to what happens on the road -- be aware of other drivers. It’s simple: if you are questioning the math of how many drinks you have consumed and how much time has passed, please get a ride from a designated driver or take a rideshare and help prevent another avoidable tragedy.”
Deputy Supervisor, Councilman Ed Smyth, who called for the press conference, stated, “Recently, there have been an alarming number of drunk driving and boating crashes. Everyone is personally responsible for their own conduct and should never drive after drinking. In addition, bars, restaurants, and catering halls are also responsible for their visibly intoxicated patrons. The Town is doing all we can to support small businesses, bars, and restaurants to maintain thriving and vibrant downtown areas. What we ask in return, is proactive measures from holders of liquor licenses to ensure no one is drinking and driving after they leave your establishment. Please take 15 minutes to do refresher training with your servers and managers so they know how to identify a visibly intoxicated patron and ensure they get a ride home.”
“I was proud to join my colleagues, Inspector Scrima from the 2nd Precinct, Alisa and John McMorris, and representatives from MADD at this very important DWI Awareness and Prevention Press Conference today. “, stated Councilman Eugene Cook. “Very simply, do not drink and drive, call somebody, make arrangements ahead of time, if you know you will be drinking. Understand that if you drink and drive, you are not only putting your own life, but other lives at risk. If you’re going to drink have a designated driver, or call someone for a ride. This is about saving lives; nothing is more precious than life.”
Inspector William Scrima of the Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), 2nd Precinct said, “Since Memorial Day, there have been 2 fatal accidents involving DWI arrests in the police district, one of which was in the Second Precinct. As a result, we have increased enforcement throughout the precinct and the county. There has been a 36% increase in DWI arrests involving motor vehicle crashes and a 35% increase in DWI arrests overall. Our goal is to prevent further tragedies and the pain they cause families around the county. We encourage everyone to drink responsibly and use designated drivers and car services, when necessary.”
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) National VP of Field Operations and NY & NJ Regional Executive Director Richard Mallow stated, “Half way through the 100 deadliest days of summer we continue to see an increase in drunk driving crashes which lead to unnecessary death and injury to innocent people. Please remember as we move towards the last part of summer to be safe and if you plan to have a drink, please have a plan to get home using a designated driver or use Uber, Lyft, or any other ride sharing app.”
Alisa and John McMorris stated, “It was an honor to stand alongside Huntington Town Supervisor Chad Lupinacci and members of the Town Board and Suffolk County PD with such an important message. Our mission is simple and so important - if you drink, don’t drive or operate a boat. Impaired driving is deadly and preventable! When our 12 year old son was killed by a drunk driver we had to turn from parenting Andrew to parenting his legacy. This is why our family and the Andrew McMorris Foundation along with Mothers Against Drunk Driving are fighting so hard to get drunk driving prevention technology on all new vehicles as soon as possible. Technology exists today that could stop this, and we need the Senate to pass Reduce Impaired Driving for Everyone (RIDE Act S.1331). This legislation would direct the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to determine the best technology and start equipping all new vehicles in the next few years, including commercial vehicles like buses and limousines. We implore everyone to make it there business to keep impaired drivers off of our shared roads. We don’t want another family to be forced to endure the pain we live each and every day.”
The Town of Huntington, the Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), and Alisa and John McMorris seek to prevent unnecessary deaths by bringing awareness to the “100 Deadliest Days” of fatal collisions after a recent uptick in DWI and distracted driving deaths. The “100 Deadliest Days” is the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day when fatal teen crashes increase dramatically. Nationwide over 7,000 people died in teen-related crashes from 2010–2019 during this summer period.
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