DWI Checkpoint Planned In Hudson County Friday

HUDSON COUNTY, NJ — Families have been destroyed by drivers under the influence of drugs and alcohol, including in Hudson County.

In 2017, Pam O'Donnell of Bayonne, who had survived a brutal battle with cancer, found out that her husband and 5-year-old daughter had been killed in a crash on the New Jersey Turnpike. Investigators later found out that a driver who was under the influence of drugs crashed into their car. O'Donnell was tasked with telling her other daughter, 6, the news. She founded the Catch You Later Foundation to raise awareness about impaired driving.

Local law enforcement also wants to raise awareness and keep impaired drivers off the roads.

Among these efforts, the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office says they'll be cracking down on drivers impaired by alcohol or drugs this Friday.

They'll be conducting a DWI checkpoint in the area of John F. Kennedy Boulevard in Union City.

'Not To Make Arrests'

"The primary purpose of this checkpoint is not to make arrests, but to promote public safety by deterring drivers from driving impaired," a spokesperson said in a release. "During the checkpoint, officers will look for signs that drivers are under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs."

“The Hudson County Sheriff’s Office is committed to keeping the traveling public safe, which is why the primary purpose of this checkpoint is not to make arrests but to deter drivers from driving impaired,” said Sheriff Frank Schillari. “Impaired driving is not just from alcohol. Some prescription medications or over-the-counter drugs may also interfere with someone’s ability to safely operate a vehicle."

The Sheriff’s Office will also have extra patrols throughout the county in an effort to curb driving while intoxicated, while also taking part in the Hudson County Vision Zero Task Force to keep roadways safe, he said.

Sheriff Schillari also offers the following tips to help keep drivers and pedestrians safe this summer:

• Take mass transit, a taxicab, car service, or ask a sober friend to drive you home.
• Spend the night where the activity or party is held.
• If you see an impaired driver on the road, contact law enforcement. Your actions may save someone’s life, and an inaction could cost a life.
• Always buckle-up, every ride. It’s your best defense against an impaired driver.
• If you are 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 or escort you to your doorstep.
• Be responsible. If someone you know is drinking, do not let that person get behind the wheel.