Bloomfield Police: DWI Crackdown Set For 2016 Holiday Season

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Law enforcement officials from the Township of Bloomfield will be cracking down on drivers impaired by alcohol or drugs as part of the annual end of year "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" statewide campaign.

According to a police news release, beginning Friday, Dec. 9, and continuing to Jan. 1, local and state law enforcement officials will conduct saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints looking for motorists who may be driving while intoxicated.

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, police said.

"During the last five years New Jersey has experienced approximately 41,000 alcohol involved crashes resulting in more than 800 fatalities," Bloomfield Police Director Samuel DeMaio 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."

Last year, 29% of all motor vehicle fatalities in New Jersey were alcohol-related. Nationally, more than 10,000 people die each year in drunk driving crashes. The societal cost associated with these crashes is estimated to be $37 billion annually, police stated.

Law enforcement agencies participating in the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over 2016 Year End Holiday Crackdown offer the following advice for holiday season:

• Take mass transit, a taxicab, or ask a sober friend to drive you home.
• Spend the night where the activity or party is held.
• If you see an impaired driver on the road, contact law enforcement. Your actions may save someone's life, and inaction could cost a life.
• Always buckle-up, every ride. It's your best defense against an impaired driver.
• If you are 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.
• Be responsible. If someone you know is drinking, do not let that person get behind the wheel.

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