By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
The annual statewide crackdown on drunk driving resulted in six arrests for driving under the influence in Lawrence Township, as well as arrests for other violations, according to police Lt. Charles B. Edgar.
Each year, the Lawrence Township Police Department takes part in the state Division of Highway Traffic Safety’s annual “Over the Limit, Under Arrest” campaign against drunk drivers this time, from Aug. 19 to Sept. 5.
This time, police stopped six motorists for driving under the influence, as well as making three arrests for drug offenses, 17 “fugitive” arrests persons who are wanted on outstanding warrants from other municipalities and issuing numerous motor vehicle violations, Lt. Edgar said.
”The Police Department takes a campaign like this very seriously,” he said. “The goal is reducing driving under the influence offenses. Often as a result of increased patrols, other offenses like drug arrests and other criminal offenses are discovered.”
Lawrence Township is much safer for having picked up drunk drivers, Lt. Edgar said. Driving under the influence is a very serious offense that can have lifelong consequences for victims.
One of the benefits of the stepped-up patrols is the opportunity to catch people who have outstanding warrants for offenses they have committed elsewhere, he said, adding that they will have been removed from the streets and thereby making it safer.
According to state Attorney General Paula T. Dow, last year’s statewide crackdown netted 1,707 arrests for drunk driving an increase of 179 arrests over 2009’s arrests of 1,528 people for that offense.
She said there were 168 fatalities as a result of accidents involving drunk drivers. This amounts to 30 percent of the 556 total crash fatalities reported in 2010. Nationally, drunk drivers kill nearly 18,000 people every year.
Last year, police statewide also made 10,106 arrests for speeding, and 6,109 arrests for seatbelt violations during the “Over the Limit, Under Arrest” campaign, Ms. Dow said.
