REMINDER: Point Boro Cracking Down on Drunk Drivers

Law enforcement officers from Point Pleasant are cracking down on drunk drivers as part of the summer 2012 “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign.

Borough police are using grant money allocated through this campaign to add to the drunk driving enforcement they do all year.

The extra enforcement began on Friday and continues through September 3rd and includes local and state law enforcement officers conducting sobriety checkpoints, looking for motorists who may be driving while intoxicated.

A concentrated national effort, the campaign helps to raise awareness about the dangers of drinking and driving through high-visibility enforcement and public education tools, including posters, banners and mobile video display signs.

Launched nationally in 1999, the program works to combat drunk driving during some of the busiest travel times of the year, including the Labor Day holiday period.

“Many people believe that after just a few drinks, they’re safe to drive,” said Gary Poedubicky, Acting Director of the Division of Highway Traffic Safety. “Even one drink can impair your judgment and reaction time, putting not only yourself, but everyone on the road, in danger.”

In 2010 alcohol-impaired fatalities accounted for 20 percent of New Jersey’s motor vehicle fatalities. As part of the initiative, the Division of Highway Traffic Safety provides grants to local law enforcement agencies throughout the state to run the two-week campaign.

Law enforcement agencies participating in the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over 2012 crackdown offer the following advice:

•           If you plan to drink, designate a driver, someone who will not drink alcohol, before going out.

•           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.

•           Always buckle up during every ride, regardless of your seating position in the vehicle. It is 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.