No Grant Money for Drunk Driving Crackdown in Chatham Twp.

Despite a national campaign to crack down in drunken drivers before and during the Labor Day Weekend, Chatham Township police won’t be participating.

Grants from the Drunk Driving Enforcement Fund were awarded Tuesday, but Chatham Township was not among New Jersey’s list of police departments to receive the funds, Chief Steven Hennelly confirmed.

The campaign runs from Aug. 21 to Sept. 7.

Despite the lack of grant, which would be used to pay for additional man hours in patrolling the township, residents are asked to be smart when deciding to consume alcohol.

“More than 10,000 people are killed in the United States each year in alcohol impaired driving crashes, and these crashes cost our society nearly $50 billion annually,” said Gary Poedubicky, Acting Director of the Division of Highway Traffic Safety in a statement. “There is a zero tolerance message for this campaign. If drivers are caught operating their vehicle while impaired they will be arrested.”

• 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.