DWI Patrols Beefed Up In Gloucester Twp. This Holiday Season

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ — Gloucester Township police will have extra patrols on the roads through the holiday season to crack down on impaired driving, funded by a state grant.

The annual statewide "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" enforcement crackdown aims to raise awareness of the dangers of impaired driving and reduce crashes caused by motorists driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol during the busy holiday travel season.

Increased patrols began Friday and will run through New Year's Day.

Gloucester Township received a $10,500 grant from the Division of Highway Traffic Safety to help pay for overtime for saturation patrols and high-visibility sobriety checkpoints.

"Being a responsible driver is one of the simplest ways to ensure a safe and happy holiday season for everyone," said state Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin. "Our Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign is aimed at raising public awareness and saving lives."

Out of the 574 deadly crashes in New Jersey last year, a driver tested positive for alcohol and/or drugs in nearly a third of them (182), according to State Police data.

Last year's Drive Sober campaign resulted in 603 impaired driving arrests, 1,034 speeding summonses and 557 seat belt summonses.

Statewide, 130 police departments received a total of $732,400 for this year's initiative.