County cracks down on impaired drivers

Law enforcement officers from Bergen, Essex and Middlesex counties have been stepping up impaired driving enforcement as part of the “You Drink and Drive, You Lose” 2004 Holiday Enforcement Program, slated to run through Jan. 2. The goal of the program is to raise awareness about drinking and driving through high-visibility enforcement, and to arrest motorists who have been driving while impaired by drugs or alcohol. Advice offered by participating law enforcement agencies includes choosing a designated driver before going out; taking a taxi or mass transit home; reporting impaired drivers to law enforcement; and always buckling up, which, they say, is the best defense against an impaired driver.