Parsippany Police Crack Down on Drunk Driving

The Parsippany Police Department will be setting up checkpoints and increasing patrols as part of a national campaign to crack down on drunk driving.

The “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign began on Saturday, Aug. 16 and runs through September 2.

According to information distributed by the Parsippany Police Department, the campaign is a concentrated national effort to raise awareness about the dangers of drinking and driving through high-visibility enforcement and public education tools, including posters, banners and mobile video display signs.

The program launched in 1999 to combat drunk driving during some of the busiest travel times of the year, including the Labor Day holiday period.

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

In 2012 alcohol-impaired fatalities accounted for 19 percent of New Jersey’s motor vehicle fatalities, according to police.

As part of the initiative, the Division of Highway Traffic Safety provides grants to local law enforcement agencies throughout the state to run the two-week campaign, police said.

Law enforcement agencies participating in the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over 2013 crackdown offer the following advice:

• 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. In New Jersey, drivers can dial #77 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.