Berkeley Police Will Participate In 'Drive Sober Or Get Pulled Over' This Holiday Season

Berkeley Township police officers will be out in force over the holiday season to participate in "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" - the National Transportation Safety Board's initiative to ferret out drunk or impaired drivers.

“People need to understand that drunk driving is not only deadly, but it is illegal,” Police Chief Karin T. DiMichele said. “Drunk driving is a massive problem in the United States, with more than 10,000 people dying annually. Drivers need to pay attention to their own driving, but also to others on the road who could be driving drunk. It is your business. If you think you see a drunk driver, call us and let us know.”

The high-visibility national enforcement campaign runs from Dec. 9, 2016 through New Year's Day. January Berkeley Township received a $5,000 grant from the NHTSA. The grant will be used to fund additional patrols and DWI stops throughout the campaign, DiMichele said.

“Please plan ahead before you go out,” Mayor Carmen F. Amato Jr. “Designate a sober driver or call a cab. But whatever you do, do not drink and drive.”

NHTSA has made it even easier to get home safely when you’ve been drinking, with the free SaferRide mobile app, available through iTunes and Google Play. The app allows you to call pre-selected contacts or a taxi, and also identifies your location so you can be picked up.

Image: Patch file photo