110 NJ Police Departments to Crackdown on DWI Arrests Through Labor Day

Summer is synonymous with leisurely vacations, outdoor activities, and of course pool parties and bbqs. However, there is definitely a sinister side to the season: drunk driving is at an all time high.

New Jersey’s Division of Highway Traffic Safety recognizes this unfortunate statistic. Because of frequent drunk driving the department created a semi-annual awareness campaign called  “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.” According to NJ.com they allocated $540,000 to 110 police departments around the state to put towards the campaign. Additionally, 300 police departments that did not receive funding will also be joining in.

Last year’s initiative allowed for officers to spot more unsafe driving habits. According to NJ.com across the state 4,764 speeding violations, 3,194 seatbelt violations, 1,490 cell phone violations, and 1,196 DWI arrests were made throughout the course of the summer campaign. The New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety’s “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” is also held around the winter holiday season.

NJ.com states that these additional funds were used to pay officers for overtime shifts, last year 6,200 additional hours in total were spent patrolling during the course of the initiative. Last year officers held 20 checkpoints throughout the state to monitor safety.

While this may seem like an “inconvenience,” to some, the repercussions of driving drunk are far worse. NJ.com notes that more than ¼ of all fatal car crashes in 2017 could be attributed to drunk or otherwise intoxicated driving. In 2017’s 158 fatal car crashes 174 people were killed. So please, live it up at your summertime festivities, but make sure to get home with the help of a designated driver or rideshare app. Drunk driving is not worth it!