“Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” DWI Checkpoints
Police departments throughout New Jersey, including police in Morris County, are cracking down on drunk drivers as part of a campaign called “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.”
The annual program is starting Thanksgiving weekend and will run through the holidays as part of a statewide effort to raise awareness of the dangers of drunk driving through highly visible enforcement. Although the statewide program won’t officially begin until December 6, some local police departments in Morris County, such as Lincoln Park and Morris Township, will be increasing DWI patrols and checkpoints this Thanksgiving weekend.
Other local and state police departments, including those in Denville and Randolph, will be increasing roving saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints.
In 2012, 29 percent of all fatal motor vehicle accidents in New Jersey involved a driver who had consumed alcohol.
The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over program is funded by a grant from the NJ Division of Highway Safety, which helps local law enforcement organize and run the campaign.
In August of this year, the program was a huge success in Morris County. During a two-week period, the campaign helped police officers in Morris County make 96 DWI arrests, effect 87 drug arrests, and issue 321 speeding tickets.
The goal of the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign is to educate drivers and encourage prevention. The increased police presence on roadways helps to encourage drivers to avoid getting behind the wheel of a car while drunk.
For more information, read the NJ.com article entitled “Cops Increasing DWI Patrols, Checkpoints Starting Thanksgiving Weekend.”
