Holiday party-goers beware – the Lawrence Township Police Department is on the look-out for intoxicated drivers.
As it has for many years, the Lawrence Township Police Department is taking part in the statewide annual “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign, said Police Chief Brian Caloiaro.
The goal of the campaign, which kicked off Dec. 7 and runs through New Year’s Day, is to find intoxicated drivers and get them off the road. Lawrence Township police officers will be assigned to driving while intoxicated patrols and enforcement.
“The holidays are a time to celebrate and spend time with your family and friends. The Lawrence Township Police Department is committed to keeping our roadways safe during this time of year,” Chief Caloiaro said.
During the year-end crackdown in 2017, the Lawrence Township Police Department pulled over four drivers who were intoxicated.
While the focus was on driving while intoxicated, Lawrence Township police officers issued four summonses apiece for seat-belt violations and child-seat violations,and 14 for speeding.
The officers also issued four summonses for reckless driving, two summonses for using a cellphone or texting, 71 summonses for careless driving and 23 summonses for driving with a suspended driver’s license.
Every 30 minutes, someone in the United States is killed by a driver who is under the influence of alcohol or drugs, according to the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety. It amounts to 50 people every day who lose their lives to an impaired driver.
To avoid being arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated, the state agency recommends not drinking or at least, to designate someone in the group to stay sober and to be the designated driver.
But party-goers who find they have over-indulged can either spend the night where the party or activity was held, or ask a friend to drive them home if mass transit or a taxi cab are not available.
A first-time arrest for driving while intoxicated – meaning a blood alcohol content level of .08 percent but less than .10 percent – brings an assortment of penalties, starting with a fine of $250 to $400.
Penalties also may include a jail sentence of up to 30 days, a three-month suspension of driving privileges, at least six hours per day for two consecutive days in an “Intoxicated Driver Resource Center,” and a $1,000 insurance surcharge for three years.
The penalties are stiffer for subsequent offenses, including a steeper fine, a longer driver’s license suspension term, and the installation of an ignition interlock device for one year to three years after the driver’s license is restored.