The Voorhees Township Police Department will be cracking down on drivers impaired by alcohol or drugs as part of the annual end of the year “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” statewide campaign. This initiative will continue through January 1, 2017. State and local law enforcement officials will be conducting saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints focusing on motorists who may be intoxicated while driving.
The national “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” effort endeavors to raise awareness about the dangers of impaired driving through a combination of high-visibility enforcement and public education. During the last five years, New Jersey has experienced over 41,000 alcohol involved crashes resulting in more than 800 fatalities. Last year, 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.
Our Police offer the following advice for the holiday season:
– Take mass transit, a taxi, Uber or similar service or ask a sober friend to drive you home.
– If you see an impaired driver on the road, contact law enforcement. Your action may save someone’s life and failure to act could cost a life.
– Spend the night where the activity or party is held.
– Be responsible. If someone you know is drinking, do not let that person get behind the wheel.
Voorhees Township has continued our “Voorhees/Evesham Saves Lives Program” to help our residents get home safely from local bars and restaurants. This program is a joint venture between Voorhees and Evesham Townships providing free rides home from participating establishments to residents of either municipality. Residents simply open the Uber app at one of the participating restaurants/bars and will see a “safe ride” option at the bottom of the screen. A free Uber ride home will be provided. The free service will not be provided from one establishment to another. “Voorhees/Evesham Saves Lives” utilizes an agreement with Uber and BeMyDD and is available seven days a week from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. To date, the program has safely taken over 2,000 Evesham and Voorhees residents to their homes free of charge.
No tax dollars are used for this program. It is fully funded through contributions from local foundations, donors and businesses.
** Santa Claus has arrived at the Voorhees Town Center! He will be available for photographs Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sundays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Christmas Eve from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Pet photos with Santa are available from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Mondays. For more information about holiday events, visit www.voorheestowncenter.com.
