Parsippany Police Target Drunk Drivers

The Parsippany Police Department is on the lookout for people drinking and driving during late summer. From Aug. 19 through Sept. 5, local and state law enforcement team up for the 2011 “Over the Limit, Under Arrest” campaign.

The effort includes saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints.

It's part of a concentrated national effort that seeks to raise awareness about the dangers of drunk driving. Expect to see stepped-up enforcement and posters, banners and mobile video display signs.

This is the 12th year for the campaign, which works to combat drunk driving during some of the busiest travel times of the year, including the summer months. 

“Many people believe that after a few drinks, they’re safe to drive,” said the Division of Highway Traffic Safety's Acting Director, Gary Poedubicky, in a statement. “Even one drink can impair your judgment and reaction time, putting not only yourself, but everyone on the road, in danger.”

Parsippany Police offer tips to avoid a drunk driving citation:

• If you plan to drink, designate a driver, someone who will not drink alcohol, before going out.
• Take mass transit, a taxicab, or ask a sober friend to drive you home.
• Spend the night where the activity is held.
• Report impaired drivers to law enforcement.
• Drivers can dial #77 in New Jersey to report a drunk or aggressive driver.
• Always buckle up, every ride, regardless of your seating position in the vehicle. It’s your best defense against an impaired driver.
• If you’re intoxicated and traveling on foot, the safest way to get home is to take a cab or have a sober friend or family member drive or escort you to your doorstep.

Police want to remind the community that the problem of drinking and driving is still of major concern. In 2009, 149 people in New Jersey lost their lives because of alcohol-related crashes, which made up 25 percent of the 583 traffic deaths reported in the state that year,

Funding for the two-week summer crackdown comes from grants to local law enforcement agencies from the Division of Highway Traffic Safety.