Somerset County officials announced that law enforcement officials from throughout Somerset County will be cracking down on drivers impaired by alcohol or drugs as part of the annual end of year "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" statewide campaign.
Beginning Friday, December 3, 2021, and continuing through Saturday, January 1, 2022, local, 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 impaired driving through a combination of high-visibility enforcement and public education.
"During the last five years, New Jersey has experienced more than 35,000 alcohol-involved crashes resulting in 618 fatalities," Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson said.
"This is a critical law enforcement program that can save lives during a time of the year when social gatherings with alcohol increase the risk of impaired driving."
Last year, 23% of all motor vehicle fatalities in New Jersey were alcohol-related. Nationally, 10,142 people died in 2019 in drunken driving crashes.
The societal cost associated with these crashes is estimated to be $44 billion annually.
Law enforcement agencies participating in the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over 2021 Year End Holiday Crackdown offer the following advice for the 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.