DWI checkpoints planned

By Audrey Levine Staff Writer
   The Township Committee unanimously approved a resolution Tuesday to support “Over the Limit, Under Arrest” 2007 Crackdown, a New Jersey campaign to combat Driving while impaired by alcohol or drugs, last week.
   The program, which runs through Sept. 3, will increase enforcement by conducting a checkpoint at an undisclosed location and time once or twice during the allotted few weeks.
   ”Our police department is already known for vigilance,” said Mayor Anthony Ferrera. “Now we will have increased enforcement.”
   The overall goal of the program is to raise awareness about the dangers of drinking and driving by conducting highly visible stops and arrests. According to a press release on the program, motorists who choose to drink and drive will be arrested.
   Hillsborough Police Chief Paul Kaminsky said the state has been hosting this program at the same time for the past few years and it has been very successful in the township.
   ”We had 172 DWI arrests last year, the highest in the county,” he said. “We expect the same success this year.”
   Chief Kaminsky said the township will also receive a grant from the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety, which sponsors the program, to pay for the added manpower and equipment needed for the checkpoints.
   Statistics show that in New Jersey in 2005, 252 of 748 people killed in motor vehicle accidents died in alcohol-related incidents. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, most Americans view drunk driving as a major social issue, ahead of healthcare and poverty.
   New Jersey state law maintains that a person with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 percent or higher is intoxicated.
   Law enforcement agencies participating in the crackdown this year recommend that people choose a designated driver before going out; take mass transit or a taxi; report other impaired drivers to police; spend the night wherever an activity is being held; and wear a seat belt, among other suggestions.
   Chief Kaminsky said that, in addition to the checkpoints, the police will be handing out pamphlets and brochures about the dangers of driving while intoxicated.
   For more information on the statewide program, visit stopimpaireddriving.org.