Statewide Law Enforcement Effort will include Drunk Driving Checkpoints
 and Saturation Patrols through Labor Day Weekend

    Trenton -- Law enforcement agencies throughout New Jersey will be cracking down on drunk driving as part of the annual, Summer “Over the Limit, Under Arrest” campaign, Division of Highway Traffic Safety Director Pam Fischer announced today.

    Beginning August 15 and running through September 1, local and State Police will be cracking down on drivers operating their vehicles and motorcycles while intoxicated.

    Designed to raise awareness about the dangers of drinking and driving through high-visibility police patrols and public education tools such as banners, posters and mobile display signs, the program works to combat drunk driving during the busy, end-of-Summer travel time.

Under this national program, which was launched in 1999, the Division of Highway Traffic Safety will provide grants of $5,000 each to 175 local law enforcement agencies in the State.  However, all law enforcement agencies in New Jersey are encouraged to participate in the initiative.  A list of those towns receiving grants to run the campaign is available on the Division’s web site at www.njsaferoads.com.  

 “This year, in particular, as more people opt to stay close to home for late Summer vacations, local and State roadways will be busier than ever,” Fischer said.  “That’s why it’s imperative that all drivers remain safe and sober.  The consequences of drunk driving are tragic and can last a lifetime, and it simply won’t be tolerated on New Jersey’s roadways.”

    Fischer also noted that according to a recent Fairleigh Dickinson PublicMind Poll on driving behaviors, 68 percent of New Jersey drivers indicated that drunk driving is the number one priority when asked what laws they believe police officers should spend more time enforcing.  That number is up 5 percent from last year.

Impaired drivers kill nearly 18,000 people on our nation’s roads every year.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that nearly 97 percent of Americans view drinking and driving by others as a threat to their families and themselves.  In 2007, 205 people were killed as a result of alcohol-related crashes on New Jersey’s highways.  That number represents 28 percent of the 724 traffic fatalities reported in the State.  In addition, 82 of those 2007 alcohol-related fatalities occurred during the Summer travel season.  

This year’s campaign will also help bring attention to the importance of remaining safe and sober while riding a motorcycle, as more people look for inexpensive modes of transportation.  In New Jersey in 2007, of the 78 motorcycle drivers killed in a fatal crash, 27 individuals, or nearly 35 percent had consumed some level of alcohol.

“Many people believe that even after having a few drinks, they can still drive,” Fischer stated. “Whether you’re operating a car, truck, SUV or motorcycle, even one drink can impair judgment and reaction time, creating a potentially dangerous situation for everyone on the road.”

The Division offers the following advice for ensuring a safe and enjoyable summer travel season:

•    Take mass transit, a taxicab or ask a sober friend to drive you home.
•    Spend the night where the activity is held.
•    Report impaired drivers to law enforcement.  In New Jersey, drivers may dial #77 to report a drunk or aggressive driver.
•    Always buckle up, every ride.  It’s the best defense against an impaired driver.

Motorists are also asked to subscribe to the pledge of the Ensign John R. Elliott HERO Campaign for Designated Drivers: drive sober, be a designated driver and don’t let your friends drive drunk.  Under the effort, local businesses and community groups, law enforcement agencies, and schools work together to keep drunk drivers off the road. Started in New Jersey by the Elliott family following the tragic death of their son John in a head-on collision with a drunk driver, the campaign has become a national model for preventing drunk driving.

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