BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — Before heading out to holiday dinners or parties, it's important to have a plan to get home safely.
The New York State Governor's Traffic Safety Committee and the New York State STOP-DWI Foundation have released a smartphone app called "Have a Plan" to prevent impaired driving.
The free app includes links to taxi and ride-sharing services, resources on blood alcohol content levels, information on creating a designated driver list and details about DWI laws.
"It's important for people to realize that they need to have a plan of how to get home safely after consuming alcohol or cannabis so that when they are impaired, they are not making poor choices," said Tracy Mance.
Mance is the chairperson of the New York State STOP-DWI Foundation, focusing on strengthening education, enforcement, training and public awareness around impaired driving.
WATCH: New York State highlights free app to prevent impaired driving during the holidays
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports 29% of traffic fatalities in New York State in 2018 were the result of alcohol-impaired crashes. Mance said impaired driving continues to be an issue.
"Especially since COVID, we've noticed an increase in impaired arrests and crashes," Mance said. "Now, with the legalization of cannabis in New York State, it's another way people can become legally impaired in operating a motor vehicle."
The "Have a Plan" mobile app puts resources and tools to combat impaired driving right in users' hands.
"I'm a firm believer in the mission, and I do think that we can really, truly, get people to make better decisions," Mance said. "I mean, a lot of people think that 1 or 2 drinks is no big deal. One is enough to impair somebody, and those consequences can be traumatic to anybody involved."
The mobile app is free to download for both Apple and Android smartphones. More information on New York State's STOP-DWI program is available at stopdwi.org.
