Police Officers from Cherry Hill will be cracking down on drunk drivers this weekend as well as upcoming dates this fall, conducting sobriety checkpoints and roving patrols looking for motorists who may be driving while intoxicated.
As part of a concentrated local 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. The program works to combat drunk driving during some of the busiest travel times of the year, including the fall months.
“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.”
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.
In 2009 in New Jersey, 149 people were killed as a result of alcohol-related crashes. That number represents 25 percent of the 583 traffic fatalities reported in the state that year.
Police Officers from the Cherry Hill Police Department 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, every ride, regardless of your seating position in the vehicle. It’s 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.
