Global Navigation
Office of The Attorney General
The State of New Jersey Office of The Attorney General (Dept. of Law & Public Safety) The State of New Jersey NJ Home Services A to Z Departments/Agencies OAG Frequently Asked Questions
Services A to Z Departments/Agencies OAG Frequently Asked Questions
OAG Home
OAG Contact
spacer
Back to News Releases
OAG Home Attorney General's Biography
Attorney General's Biography
spacer spacer spacer
   
 
spacer spacer spacer
spacer spacer spacer
For Immediate Release: For Further Information:
August 21, 2015

Office of The Attorney General
- John J. Hoffman, Acting Attorney General
Division of Highway Traffic Safety
- Gary Poedubicky, Acting Director
Media Inquiries-
Zach Hosseini
609-475-2385
 

Citizen Inquiries-

609-984-5828
spacer
spacer spacer spacer
spacer
Division of Highway Safety Awards Nearly $1 Million to New Jersey Police Departments to fight Drunk Driving for “Drive Sober, or Get Pulled Over” Campaign
spacer
spacer spacer spacer
spacer
Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign banner
spacer
spacer spacer spacer
spacer
TRENTON – The Division of Highway Traffic Safety today announced grants totaling $910,000 that will be used by local law enforcement agencies to crackdown on drunk and impaired drivers as part of the national initiative, “Drive Sober, or Get Pulled Over.”
The coordinated, statewide effort will run from today through September 7 and 182 law enforcement agencies received grants of $5,000 to staff saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints. In total, more than 400 agencies are expected to participate in “Drive Sober, or Get Pulled Over.”

“We want to remind everyone that getting behind the wheel drunk is a terrible idea,” said Division of Highway Traffic Safety Acting Director Gary Poedubicky. “Not only does drinking impair your ability to operate a vehicle safely, it also impairs your judgment and good sense about whether you can, or should drive. If you have any doubt about your sobriety, do not get behind the wheel. If you do chose to drive impaired, you will be arrested. No warnings. No excuses.”

Poedubicky said State and local law enforcement officials expect a high volume of travelers during the Labor Day weekend (September 4-7), which not coincidentally falls at the end of the drunk driving enforcement campaign.

Nationwide last year, 38 percent of crash fatalities on Labor Day weekend that year involved drunk drivers (with blood alcohol concentrations [BACs] of .08 or higher), amounting to 161 lives lost. More than a quarter (27%) of the crash fatalities that occurred on Labor Day weekend involved drivers with BACs of .15 or higher—almost twice the illegal limit.

“Research has shown that high-visibility enforcement like the ‘Drive Sober, or Get Pulled Over’ campaign reduces drunk driving fatalities by as much as 20 percent. By joining this nationwide effort, we will make New Jersey’s roadways safer for everyone throughout the Labor Day period,”Poedubicky said.

Penalties for a first DWI arrest can include fines of up to $500, 30 days in jail, one-year driver’s license suspension and court costs. Successive DWI arrests carry stiffer penalties.

During last year’s end-of-summer crackdown, law enforcement made 1,284 DWI arrests statewide. They also issued citations for speeding (5,459), seatbelt violations (4,827), driving with a suspended license (3,960) and reckless driving (883).
The Division of Highway Traffic Safety offers the following advice to ensure a safe summer travel season for those who choose to drink alcohol this summer:

  • Take mass transit, a taxi or ask a sober friend to drive you home.

  • Spend the night rather than get behind the wheel.

  • Report impaired drivers to law enforcement. In New Jersey, drivers may dial #77 to report a drunk or aggressive driver.

  • Always buckle up, every ride, regardless of your seating position in the vehicle. It’s your best defense against an impaired driver.

  • If you’re 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.

A list of all law enforcement agencies receiving a mobilization grant is available at the Division’s web site.

spacer
spacer spacer spacer
spacer
 
News Index Page I top
 
Executive Assistant Attorney General
Attorney General's Message Ask the Attorney General
Contact OAG About OAG
OAG News OAG Frequently Asked Questions
OAG Library Employment
OAG Grants Proposed Rules
OAG History OAG Services A-Z
Statutes
OAG Agencies / Programs / Units
Other News Pages Otras Noticias en Español Division of NJ State Police Division of Law News Governor's Office News Division of Highway Traffic Safety News Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Juvenile Justice Commission News Division on Civil Rights News Division of Consumer Affairs News Division of Criminal Justice News Election Law Enforcement Commission Division of Gaming Enforcement News
NJ State Police News Governor's Office News Division of Highway Traffic Safety News Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Juvenile Justice Commission News Division on Civil Rights News Division of Consumer Affairs News Division of Criminal Justice News Election Law Enforcement Commission Division of Elections News Division of Gaming Enforcement News Office of Government Integrity News
   
Contact Us | Privacy Notice | Legal Statement | Accessibility Statement
NJ Home Logo
Departmental: OAG Home | Contact OAG | About OAG | OAG News | OAG FAQs
Statewide: NJ Home | Services A to Z | Departments/Agencies | FAQs
Copyright © State of New Jersey
This page is maintained by OAG Communications. Comments/Questions: email or call 609-292-4925
OAG Home OAG Home NJ State Police News Governor's Office News Division of Highway Traffic Safety News Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Juvenile Justice Commission News Division on Civil Rights News Division of Consumer Affairs News Division of Criminal Justice News Election Law Enforcement Commission Division of Elections News Division of Gaming Enforcement News Office of Government Integrity News Click to Enlarge Image Click to Enlarge Image Click to Enlarge Graphic Click to enlarge chart Click to enlarge map Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click to Enlarge Click on image to enlarge... Click on image to enlarge... Click to enlarge...Click to enlarge...Click to enlarge...Click to enlarge... Click to enlarge...