Impaired Driving Crackdown Coming To Lacey

LACEY, NJ — "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over." That's the message Lacey police are sending as part of the statewide campaign intended to reduce impaired driving.

The annual campaign began Aug. 19 and will run through Sept. 5, Lacey police said. During this time, local and state law enforcement officials will be conducting saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints looking for motorists who may be driving while intoxicated, police said.

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 more than 33,000 alcohol involved crashes resulting in 662 fatalities," said Lieutenant Paul Sullivan, Jr. "This is a critical law enforcement program that can save lives, especially in light of recent dramatic increases in motor vehicle fatality rates both nationally and in New Jersey."

Last year, 23 percent of all motor vehicle fatalities in NJ were alcohol-related, police said. According to police, nationally 11,654 people died in 2020 in drunk driving crashes. The societal cost associated with these crashes is estimated to be $44 billion annually.

Lacey police offered these tips to stay safe:

• Take mass transit, a taxicab or rideshare, 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 or using drugs, do not let that person get behind the wheel.