N.J. DWI Checkpoints/Patrols For St. Patrick's Day Weekend

St. Patrick's Day weekend can be fun, but it can be dangerous, too.

Many people will hit the roads in New Jersey this weekend, and police expect that there could be a fair share of people celebrating at the typical reunions that come with St. Patrick's Day on Friday.

Patch put together a list and map below of DWI checkpoints and enhanced patrols in New Jersey — and there are a lot planned for the holiday. The state police have announced several checkpoints

Here is the list showing where the checkpoints and enhanced patrols are located, and below that is a map with links that provide more information (click on links for additional information):

• Aberdeen
• Belmar/Neptune area in Monmouth County (State Police)
• Bernards
• Bound Brook
• Branchburg
• Bridgewater
• Clinton
• Far Hills
• Flemington
• Franklin – Somerset County
• Frenchtown
• Garden State Parkway northbound entrance ramp at Exit 98 in Wall Township, Monmouth County (State Police)
• Green Brook
• Hillsborough
• Manville
• Marlboro
• Montgomery
• Moorestown
• New Jersey Turnpike Hudson Bay Extension entrance at Interchange 14C in Jersey City, Hudson County (State Police)
• Ocean County (no specific town was provided).
• Peapack and Gladstone
• Somerset County Sheriff’s Office
• Somerville
• Warren
• Watchung
• West Amwell

The Divisions of Highway Traffic Safety and state police offered the following tips to ensure a safe St. Patrick's Day weekend for motorists:

• Always buckle up, every ride, regardless of your seating position in the vehicle. It’s your best defense against an impaired driver.
• Never consume alcohol and drive, and if you’re going to drink, arrange for a designated driver to take you home.
• Stay focused on the road. When you're behind the wheel, all other tasks – using your cell phone, eating or drinking, even tending to a crying child - must take a backseat. If there's something that needs your attention immediately, pull over before you address it.
• If you feel drowsy while driving, pull over and find a safe place to address your condition.

For pedestrians:

• Avoid walking home when you’re intoxicated. Alcohol impairment leads to risky behaviors like crossing against signals, or walking too close to oncoming traffic. If you’ve had too much to drink, have someone escort you home, or call a cab.
• Stay alert. Don’t talk or text on your cell phone while navigating through the streets. Pedestrian inattention is a common cause of pedestrian-motor vehicle conflicts.
• Wear bright-colored, reflectorized clothing, especially at night.
• Walk on sidewalks or paths and always cross at the corner, within marked crosswalks if provided. If there are no sidewalks, walk facing traffic and make eye contact with motorists.
• Never cross mid-block (unless within a marked crosswalk), between parked cars or by climbing over median barriers. This is not only unsafe, but against the law.

Patch file photo