Morris County NJ police departments kick off a major crackdown on drunk driving throughout the area this weekend.
The initiative is part of a national campaign called “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.” The campaign is intended to raise awareness among the public about the dangers of driving while intoxicated. Officials hope that the program will help them reduce the number of alcohol-impaired fatalities on NJ roads.
A major component of the campaign is high-visibility enforcement. The Acting Director of the Division of Highway Traffic Safety said that state officials hope the police will use the crackdown as an opportunity to send a strong message to motorists that drunk driving will not be tolerated. This is important because alcohol was a factor in 22 percent of New Jersey’s motor vehicle fatalities in 2013.
Another aspect of the initiative is the use of public education tools such as posters and mobile video display signs. The funding to run the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign comes in the form of grants provided by the Division of Highway Traffic Safety.
Among the police departments that will be participating are those located in Boonton Township, Chester Township, Hanover, Kinnelon, Pequannock, and Randolph. Many of the departments announced their participation in news releases.
The campaign will run from August 15 through September 15, with local and state law enforcement setting up sobriety checkpoints and conducting roving patrols to nab drunk motorists.
For more information, check out the NJ.com article entitled “Drunk-driving Crackdown Starts Friday, Cops Say.”
