Wall Police Cracking Down On Drunk Driving

Township police will be participating in a statewide crackdown on drunk driving over the holiday season, police said Monday.

The "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over'' campaign begins Dec. 5 and township police will be joining state law enforcement in setting up sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols throughout the state, Sgt. Chad Clark said.

The nationwide campaign aims 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, Clark said.

“This is a critical law enforcement program that can save lives during a time of the year when impaired driving traditionally increases by nearly 10 percent," Clark said.  “This initiative brings attention to the serious consequences of drunk driving and the grave danger those who choose to drink and drive pose to all who share the road with them.”

Last year in New Jersey, 168 people were killed as a result of alcohol-related crashes. That number represents 30 percent of the 556 traffic fatalities reported in the state in 2010, Clark said.

Police offer the following advice:

• Take mass transit, a taxicab, 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 on their cell phones to report a drunk driver.
• Always buckle-up, every ride.  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 or escort you to your doorstep.