Newark, NJ-The holidays are in full swing which means not only are there more drivers on the road, but there is a chance more of those drivers will be intoxicated. New Jersey law enforcement agencies know that during this time of year, people are tempted to have a drink or two and drive so each year they ratcheted up their efforts to catch drunken drivers and make certain holiday motorists are safe.
The “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign is a national law enforcement initiative held days before and after major holidays. The campaign started in 1999 in the effort to reduce fatal drunk driving accidents and raise awareness about the dangers during the busiest travel times of the year.
In 2010, drunken driving accidents accounted for 20 percent of fatal accidents in New Jersey.
New Jersey’s annual holiday “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign has already begun and will continue until January 2nd. Law enforcement agencies will use $633,600 in federal funds to increase the number of officers patrolling the streets and to set up sobriety checkpoints.
“No one ever thinks their holiday celebration will end in jail or in a hospital,” Gary Poedubicky, New Jersey’s highway traffic safety chief told North Jersey.com. “So once again, police are targeting those drivers whose blood-alcohol concentration hits 0.08 percent or more.”
Few people realize who few drinks they must consume to be legally drunk. It can be hard resisting the urge to share a cocktail with your favorite Aunt or sharing a beer or two with your brother before getting behind the wheel. According to the American Automobile Association, the average man can reach the legal limit of 0.08 after consuming only four beers in an hour. It takes fewer drinks to push a woman’s blood alcohol concentration over the legal driving limit.
If you do make the mistake of driving while intoxicated and are charged with a DWI this holiday season you face the possibility of spending time in jail (anywhere from six months to a year), having your driver’s license suspended, you may be required to install and ignition interlock device into your vehicle, and will pay thousands of dollars in fines and penalties. The higher your blood alcohol concentration the more sever your penalties will be.
In addition to the penalties, a DWI conviction will remain in your record forever and your insurance premiums will rise steeply. A DWI can affect all areas of an individual’s life, but seek to prevent these consequences by building a strong defense on your behalf and/or negotiating for a reduced charge. I am devoted to making certain my client’s rights are respected providing them with the best DWI defense possible.
While the “Drive Sober” campaign is primarily focused on catching drunk drivers, law enforcement agencies also issue thousands of traffic violations. The last time New Jersey law enforcement conducted the Drive Sober campaign– over Labor Day weekend– they issue 89,000 summonses for violations which included speeding, seat belt infractions and driving with a suspended license. Police even managed to catch 1,781 fugitives.
Most of the time people don’t give traffic violations a second thought; they just pay their fine and move on. People often don’t realize that repeat traffic violations could result in increased insurance premiums and suspension of their driver’s license. If you are not a U.S. citizen, even traffic offenses can have consequences on your immigration status. It’s worth it to enlist my help to fight a traffic summons.
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