DWI crackdown begins

The Sparta and Hopatcong police departments each have received $7,000 as part of the statewide “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” enforcement crackdown on impaired driving.

The crackdown begins Friday, Dec. 6. and continues through Jan. 1.

It is aimed at raising awareness of the dangers of impaired driving and reducing crashes caused by motorists driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol during the busy holiday travel season.

Law enforcement agencies throughout the state will step up enforcement of New Jersey’s impaired driving laws.

To assist with the enforcement efforts, the Division of Highway Traffic Safety (HTS) has provided 130 law enforcement agencies with grants totaling $732,400 to help pay 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. Our ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ campaign is aimed at raising public awareness and saving lives,” said Attorney General Matthew Platkin. “Drivers who put lives at risk by getting behind the wheel drunk or high will face serious consequences.”

Traffic fatalities continue to be a leading cause of death in New Jersey. According to statistics from the New Jersey State Police, 574 fatal crashes on New Jersey roadways claimed the lives of 606 people last year. In more than 31 percent of those fatal crashes, a driver tested positive for alcohol and/or drugs.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s most recent data, of the 42,514 motor vehicle fatalities across the United States in 2022, about a third involved alcohol-impaired driving.

“What makes these impaired driving fatalities so tragic is that they’re 100 percent preventable,” said Michael Rizol Jr., HTS director. “Our ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ campaign provides law enforcement agencies throughout New Jersey with funding to help prevent these tragedies by targeting impaired drivers and removing them from the road so everyone can make it home safely during the holidays.”

During last year’s ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ year-end holiday campaign, HTS provided 132 law enforcement agencies with grant funds totaling $795,340. The campaign resulted in 603 impaired driving arrests, 1,034 speeding summonses and 557 seat-belt summonses.