Full Notification

From August 16th through September 4th, law enforcement agencies in New Jersey and nationwide will be joining the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the 2023 high-visibility Labor Day statewide "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" crackdown and awareness campaign.

During this time, officers conduct sobriety checkpoints and roving patrols looking for motorists who may be driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs. In addition to high-visibility enforcement, the campaign also helps to raise awareness about the dangers of impaired driving through public education tools including posters, banners, mobile video display signs, social media, radio announcements, and television advertisements.

During the 2021 Labor Day holiday period, there were 531 crash fatalities nationwide, with 41% of these crashes involving a drunk driver. In 2021, 13,384 people were killed in crashes involving a drunk driver - that's one person every 39 minutes. These troubling statistics illustrate why the South River Police Department works to educate the public about the dangers of impaired driving.

In addition to being illegal and dangerous, New Jersey laws for driving while intoxicated are strict and penalties are severe. Convicted offenders and their families are affected financially and in many other ways. For more information visit: www.nj.gov/oag/hts/downloads/dui-bro-eng.pdf

Law enforcement agencies participating in the Drive Sober or Get Pulled crackdown offer the following advice:

• If you plan on drinking, have a designated driver, someone who will not drink alcohol, before going out.

• If you’ve been drinking, ask a sober friend to drive you home or utilize a taxi or ridesharing service.

• Spend the night where the activity is held.

• Report impaired drivers to law enforcement. In New Jersey, drivers may dial #77 to report an impaired 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.

• Be responsible. If someone you know is drinking, do not let that person get behind the wheel.

Launched nationally in 1999, this program works to combat impaired driving during some of the busiest travel times of the year, including the Labor Day and the end-of-year holiday seasons. As part of the program, the Division of Highway Traffic Safety provides grants to law enforcement agencies to help run the campaign.