Vernon to crack down on drunk drivers

VERNON — Law enforcement officials from Vernon Township will crack down on drunk drivers as part of the annual holiday season “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” statewide campaign. The campaign began on Friday, Dec. 5, and continued through Jan. 2, 2015. Local 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.

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

Law enforcement agencies participating in the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over 2014 Year End Holiday Crackdown offer 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.