NEW JERSEY – The Division of Highway Traffic Safety has recently announced the statewide traffic safety campaign “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” to target drunk and impaired drivers.
The campaign, which runs until January 1, is part of a nationwide effort to reduce crash risks during the holiday season. The Division has awarded $656,340 worth of grants to 114 agencies across the state to fund enhanced patrolling and high-visibility sobriety checkpoints throughout New Jersey during the month of December.
“This has been a year of tremendous loss for New Jersey residents impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and we are all feeling especially grateful for the loved ones with us this holiday season,” said Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal. “Help ensure that everyone can safely celebrate this year by driving sober and unimpaired. Drunk driving crashes are tragic and preventable. We are stepping up patrols and enforcement to keep New Jersey roadways safe for all who use them this holiday season.”
Drunk driving crashes claim the lives of more than 10,000 people nationwide each year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (“NHTSA”). A total of 559 people were killed in traffic crashes in New Jersey last year, with 129, nearly a quarter of them, losing their lives in crashes involving drunk drivers.
“Our mission is to ensure that travelers on New Jersey roadways reach their destinations safely – especially during the holiday season when crash risks increase,” said Eric Heitmann, Director of Division of Highway Traffic Safety. “We pursue this mission through programs like Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over that raise public awareness of the dangers of impaired driving and provide law enforcement with funding for enhanced enforcement. This season, make sure a designated driver is part of your holiday celebration plans. Anyone driving under influence can count on encountering a law enforcement presence on the State’s roadways.”
The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over holiday campaign last year had a result of 1,380 DWI arrests (alcohol and/or drugs) statewide; and participating police agencies issued 4,960 and 2,023 speeding and seat belt summonses, respectively. Some agencies made 13 or more DWI arrests during the campaign.
For more information, follow the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, and visit NJSafeRoads.com.
