'Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over' In Somerset County

Law enforcement officials throughout Somerset County will be focusing on drunk drivers as part of the statewide annual holiday season “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign. Beginning December 5, 2014 and continuing through January 2, 2015, municipal, county and state law enforcement officials will conduct saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints looking for motorists who may be driving while intoxicated.

The national “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” effort endeavors to raise awareness about the dangers of drinking and driving through a combination of high-visibility enforcement and public education. “This is a critical law enforcement initiative that saves lives during a time of the year when impaired driving traditionally increases by nearly 10 percent,” said Prosecutor Geoffrey Soriano. “With increased patrols in Somerset County, our goal is to bring attention to the serious consequences of drunk driving and the grave danger those who choose to drink and drive pose to all who share the road with them.”

In 2014, 22% of all motor vehicle fatalities in New Jersey were alcohol-related. Nationally, more than 10,000 people die each year in drunk driving related crashes. The societal cost associated with these crashes is estimated to be $37 billion annually.

On behalf of the agencies in Somerset County participating in the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over 2014 Year End Holiday Crackdown” Chief William Parenti, President of the Somerset County Association of Chiefs of Police offers the following advice for holiday season:

· Take mass transit, a taxicab, 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 buckle-up, 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, do not let that person get behind the wheel.

Make the smart, responsible choice and don’t drink and drive.