The North Bergen Police Department is the latest Hudson County law enforcement agency to announce their participation in the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
Beginning December 8 and continuing through January 1, local and state law enforcement officials will conduct saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints looking for motorists who may be driving while intoxicated.
“During the last five years New Jersey has experienced nearly 40,000 alcohol involved crashes resulting in more than 750 fatalities,” Police Chief Robert Dowd said in a statement.
“This is a critical law enforcement program that can save lives during a time of the year when impaired driving traditionally increases by nearly 10 percent.â€
The national “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over†effort endeavors to raise awareness about the dangers of impaired driving through a combination of high-visibility enforcement and public education.
Last year, 20 percent of all motor vehicle fatalities in New Jersey were alcohol-related. Nationally, more than 10,000 people die each year in drunk driving crashes. The societal cost associated with these crashes is estimated to be $37 billion annually.
Law enforcement agencies participating in the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over end-of-year crackdown, including Hoboken and West New York police, offer the following advice for the holiday season:
·Take mass transit, a taxicab, or ask a sober friend to drive you home.
·Spend the night where the activity or party is held.
·If you see an impaired driver on the road, contact law enforcement. Your actions may save someone’s life, and inaction could cost a life.
·Always buckle-up, every ride. It’s your best defense against an impaired driver.
·If you are intoxicated and traveling on foot, the safest way to get home is to take a cab or have a sober friend or family member drive or escort you to your doorstep.
·Be responsible. If someone you know is drinking, do not let that person get behind the wheel.
