For Immediate Release- December 14, 2021
MIDDLETOWN, NJ — Law enforcement officials 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” campaign. Middletown Township Police Department and state law enforcement officials will be conducting saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints looking for motorists who may be driving while intoxicated through January 1, 2022.
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 nearly 35,000 alcohol involved crashes resulting in 618 fatalities.
"The Middletown Township Police Department is proud to participate in this important traffic safety initiative to apprehend impaired drivers and help prevent senseless tragedies,” said Police Chief R. Craig Weber. “We encourage the public to be responsible and remind everyone to please drive safely this holiday season."
Last year, 23% of all motor vehicle fatalities in New Jersey were alcohol related. Nationally, 10,142 people died in 2019 in drunk driving crashes. The societal cost associated with these crashes is estimated to be $44 billion annually.
“Ensuring the safety of our roads is truly a two-way partnership between our officers and our community members who drive,” said Mayor Tony Perry. “Please do your part by either remaining sober, designating a sober driver, or using a transportation service when traveling to holiday parties.”
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.
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