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TagsLast year 1,528 drivers were arrested for DWI
Police throughout New Jersey will be attempting to crack down on drunk drivers as part of an annual summer "Over the Limit, Under Arrest" campaign, the state Division of Highway Traffic Safety announced Tuesday.
Beginning Friday and running through Labor Day, Sept. 6, police will conduct saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints, looking for motorists who may be driving while intoxicated.
"There's simply no excuse to drink and drive," Highway Traffic Safety Director Pam Fischer said. "The decision to get behind the wheel after drinking can change not just your own life, but the life of your family, your friends, and everyone who is on the road with you. Even one drink can impair your judgment and reaction time, creating a potentially deadly situation."
Last year in New Jersey, 185 people were killed as a result of alcohol-related crashes. That number represents 31 percent of the 583 traffic fatalities reported in the state in 2009. In addition, 67 of those alcohol-related fatalities occurred during the summer travel season.
A national effort, the "Over the Limit, Under Arrest" campaign helps to raise awareness about the dangers of drunk driving through high-visibility enforcement and public education that includes posters, banners and mobile video display signs. Launched nationally in 1999, the program works to combat drunk driving during the summer months -- one of the busiest travel times of the year.As part of the initiative, the Division of Highway Traffic Safety is providing federal grants of $4,400 each to 187 New Jersey law enforcement agencies to run the crackdown effort. However, all police departments in the state are encouraged to participate.
During last year's summer "Over the Limit, Under Arrest" crackdown, participating police agencies made 1,528 DWI arrests, and issued 8,051 speeding tickets and 4,964 seat belt citations.
The Division of Highway Traffic Safety offers the following advice to ensure safe travel season for those who choose to drink alcohol:
Take mass transit, a taxi or ask a sober friend to drive you home.
Spend the night rather than get behind the wheel.
Report impaired drivers to police. In New Jersey, drivers may dial #77 to report a drunk or aggressive driver.
Always buckle up, every ride, regardless of your seating position in the vehicle. It's your best defense against an impaired driver.
If you're 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.
A list of police agencies receiving grants can be read here.
– TOM HESTER SR., NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
