Crime & Safety

Point Pleasant Police Join 'Drive Sober Or Get Pulled Over' Campaign

Campaign starts on Dec. 9 and runs through New Year's Day.

Point Pleasant police will will be cracking down on drivers impaired by alcohol or drugs as part of the annual end of year “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” statewide campaign, Capt. Robert Lokerson said.

The initiative - which includes saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints - begins on Dec. 9 and will run through New Year's Day, he said.

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

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“During the last five years New Jersey has experienced approximately 41,000 alcohol involved crashes resulting in more than 800 fatalities," he said. “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.”

In 2015, 29 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.

Find out what's happening in Point Pleasantfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Here's some advice for the holiday season:

· Take mass transit, a taxicab, 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 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.

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