The City of Summit Police Department is announcing its participation in a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration effort to stop drunk driving, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over. Beginning on December 9 and running through December 31, local and state law enforcement officers will establish sobriety checkpoints, and implement roving patrols to look for motorists exhibiting intoxicated driving behaviors.
Drunk driving is a deadly epidemic that takes the lives of more than 10,000 people each year, on average. Launched nationally in 1999, the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over program works to combat drunk driving during the holiday season, one of the busiest travel times of the year.
The Summit Police Department offers citizens the following advice for safe travel to and from activities during the holiday season:
- Designate a driver, someone who will not drink alcohol, before going out.
- Plan to take public transit, call a taxi or ask a sober friend for a ride home.
- If possible, spend the night at or near where the activity is held.
- Report impaired drivers to law enforcement. In New Jersey, drivers may dial #77 to report a drunk or aggressive driver.
- Always fasten your seat belt for every trip, regardless of seating position within the vehicle.
- If intoxicated and planning to walk home, consider calling a taxi or a sober friend instead.
For additional information on the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign, go to https://www.nhtsa.gov/drivesober/index.html or contact the Summit Police at 908-273-0051.