New Brunswick Crackdown On Impaired Driving Begins Aug. 19, Police Say

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ — Police are targeting impaired drivers through Labor Day in New Brunswick and statewide, in the annual "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" campaign.

The campaign begins Friday, Aug. 19 and runs through Monday, Sept 5. Local and state law enforcement officials will be on the lookout for drivers who are behind the wheel while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

"During the last five years New Jersey has experienced more than 33,000 alcohol involved crashes resulting in 662 fatalities," Sabo said in a news release. “This is a critical law enforcement program that can save lives, especially in light of recent dramatic increases in motor vehicle fatality rates both nationally and in New Jersey.”

Last year, 23 percent of all motor vehicle fatalities in New Jersey were alcohol-related. Nationally, 11,654 people died in 2020 in drunk driving crashes. The cost associated with these crashes is estimated to be $44 billion annually.

Law enforcement agencies participating in the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over 2022 Statewide Labor Day Crackdown offer the following advice for the holiday season:

• Take mass transit, a taxicab or rideshare, 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 buckleup, 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 or using drugs, do not let that person get behind the wheel.

The national “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign hopes to raise awareness about the dangers of impaired driving through high-visibility enforcement and public education.