Caldwell Police Crack Down on Drunk Drivers, Man Sobriety Checkpoints During the Holidays

Caldwell Law Enforcement Officers will be cracking down on drunk drivers as part of the annual holiday season “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” statewide campaign. From Dec. 5 through Jan. 2, local and state law enforcement officers will conduct sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols looking for motorists who may be driving while intoxicated.

“This is a critical law enforcement program that can save lives during a time of the year when impaired driving traditionally increases by nearly 10 percent,” Chief Bongiorno said. “This initiative brings attention to the serious consequences of drunk driving and the grave danger those who choose to drink and drive pose to all who share the road with them.”

Last year, 22 percent of all motor vehicle fatalities in New Jersey were alcohol-related. Nationally, more than 10,000 people die each year in drunk driving crashes. The societal cost associated with drunk driving crashes is estimated to be $37 billion annually.

Law enforcement agencies participating in the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over 2014 Year End Holiday Crackdown offer the following advice for the holiday season:

· Be responsible. If someone you know is drinking, do not let that person get behind the wheel.

· Take mass transit, a taxi 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. Your actions may save someone’s life and inaction could cost a life.

· 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 you to your doorstep.

The national “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” effort endeavors to raise awareness about the dangers of drinking and driving through a combination of high-visibility enforcement and public education.