Southern Tier Close Up Catches Up With Broome Stop DWI Program

Broome County Stop DWI Coordinator Chris Marion is the guest on the weekly, local public affairs program, Southern Tier Close Up to catch up on what the program has been doing recently to combat dangerous driving.

Marion says a lot has changed over the years of the Stop DWI effort in Broome County with an expansion from a focus on alcohol's impact on driving, especially among teens to tackle more complex dangers to safe driving like drug consumption and interaction, distractions and even fatigue.

In addition to a higher recognition of the impact of things that take attention away from driver's focus on the road, there are more issues like greater and more diverse use of drugs and supplements and, of course, more technology to offer distraction.

Marion says even the act of talking on a hands-free device can be dangerous as the brain only has so much capacity to concentrate on a task.  Add to that, Marion says, a driver alone in a vehicle and talking on their hands-free device doesn't have the additional eyes of a passenger to help alert them to a danger around them.

Marion also discusses the legislative, education and other work of the Stop DWI program in Broome County.

You can hear more on Southern Tier Close Up Saturday at 12:10 p.m. on News Radio 1290 WNBF.