Summit Police Crack Down On Holiday Drunk Driving

SUMMIT, NJ - Summit Police are participating in the year-end Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign, a statewide crackdown on impaired driving from Dec. 7 through Jan 1.

According to officials, the goal of the New Jersey state program is to encourage law enforcement agencies to raise public awareness about the dangers of alcohol-impaired driving through a combination of highly visible enforcement backed up by targeted media activities.

“Research shows that high-visibility enforcement can reduce alcohol-related crash fatalities by as much as 20 percent,” Summit Traffic Lieutenant David L. Richel said. “Beginning on Dec. 7 and continuing through New Year’s Day, Summit Police will be conducting roving patrols to stop drivers who appear to be operating vehicles while impaired. We are committed to making Summit a safer community for all visitors, residents, and commuters.”

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that over a five year period, nearly 4,000 people were killed in the United States in the month of December in traffic crashes involving an impaired driver.

In 2016 overall, 28 percent, 10,497, of the 37,461 motor vehicle fatalities in the country were alcohol-related.

“No matter where you drive in the United States, it is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher," richel said. "Please drink responsibly and join us in making Summit roadways free of impaired drivers.”

For more information on the Summit Police Department, the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over initiative or other traffic safety programs visit cityofsummit.org/police.

(Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

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