NEW JERSEY – In a dedicated effort to promote the safety of New Jersey residents and visitors during the upcoming holiday season, Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety (HTS) Friday announced the kickoff of the annual “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” Year-End Holiday Campaign.
Starting today and extending through Jan. 1, 2024, this initiative aims to minimize the potential for fatal or serious crashes caused by drivers under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol and heighten awareness surrounding impaired driving, especially during the holiday driving season.
To strengthen enforcement efforts across the state, HTS has allocated over $795,000 in grant funding to 132 police agencies throughout the state. This additional financial support will enable law enforcement to conduct saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints to assist in removing alcohol or drug-impaired drivers from New Jersey roadways.
T0 view the 2023 Final Grantee List, click here.
“Getting behind the wheel while impaired is a serious and dangerous decision that comes with real-life consequences. The ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ campaign is not merely a slogan; it is a reminder that risking lives on the road is never OK,” Platkin said. “And the additional funding that we are making available through this program will bolster enforcement efforts from our law enforcement partners to make our roads safer, safeguard families, and ensure everyone gets to celebrate the holidays surrounded by their loved ones.”
In New Jersey, during the 2022 holiday season, spanning from the Wednesday before Thanksgiving to New Year’s Eve, 69 people lost their lives to crashes involving impaired driving.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) most recent data, more than 4,500 people were killed nationwide in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes during the months of December from 2017 through 2021. In December 2021 alone, 1,013 people died in alcohol-impaired-driving crashes.
“Choosing to drive under the influence is an irresponsible and senseless decision that jeopardizes lives,” said Michael J. Rizol Jr., Director of the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety. “Driving impaired can carry significant legal and moral repercussions. This December, and always, opt for the wise and responsible decision. Don’t drive under the influence of drugs or alcohol.”
During last year’s Year-End Holiday Campaign, participating law enforcement agencies made a total of 574 impaired driving arrests and issued 1,664 seatbelt tickets, 431 distracted driving tickets, and 2,898 speeding tickets. Additional 3,537 summonses were issued for other hazardous moving violations.
As the holiday season approaches, New Jersey encourages all residents and visitors to celebrate responsibly and make the commitment to Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.
For more information on impaired driving, visit www.NJSafeRoads.com.
