New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the Division of Highway Traffic Safety (HTS) announced the launch of enhanced enforcement efforts to deter impaired driving in New Jersey. Grant funding from the division will support law enforcement agencies across the state, including Mount Laurel, in conducting patrols and sobriety checkpoints to remove alcohol- and drug-impaired drivers from the roads.
The “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign runs until Labor Day, which falls on Sept. 1 this year. It is part of a national initiative aimed at reducing crash risks and increasing awareness about impaired driving during the busy summer months. To aid New Jersey’s enforcement, HTS has granted $564,130 to 102 police agencies statewide, supporting increased patrols and high-visibility sobriety checkpoints during a typically hazardous period.
The Mount Laurel Police Department (MLPD) has received $7,000 in grant funds.
“Driving under the influence is not just a bad decision,” Platkin said. “It’s a tragedy waiting to happen.”
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) most recent data, 12,429 individuals died in drunk-driving crashes in 2023 in the United States – roughly 34 each day, equivalent to one life lost every 42 minutes.
State-level data compiled by NHTSA revealed there were only six states – Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Kentucky, New Hampshire, and the District of Columbia – that had a lower percentage of traffic fatalities involving alcohol-impaired drivers than New Jersey. New Jersey State Police data shows the number of intoxicated drivers involved in fatal crashes decreased from 2022 to 2023, according to the state attorney general’s office.
For those arrested for impaired driving, the legal repercussions could include fines of up to $10,000. Impaired drivers who are involved in a crash may be sentenced to prison and face a permanent criminal record.
During the 2024 campaign, the stepped-up efforts by law enforcement agencies resulted in 633 arrests for driving while intoxicated, 3,568 speeding tickets, and 1,608 seatbelt summonses.
For more information on impaired driving, visit www.NJSafeRoads.com
