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December 15, 2004

Mayor Lauds Tri-County Effort to Make Holiday Driving Safer

Through January 5, 2005, police officers in Woodbridge Township will be stepping up enforcement against alcohol- and drug-impaired driving, Mayor Frank G. Pelzman has announced.

The crackdown is part of the You Drink and Drive, You Lose 2004 Holiday Enforcement Project occurring throughout Middlesex, Bergen and Essex counties and funded by a grant from New Jersey Department of Transportation .

“The goal of the program is to use high-visibility enforcement to raise awareness about the dangers of drinking and driving ,” says Mayor Pelzman.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, impaired drivers kill nearly 18,000 people on our nation’s roads each year. In New Jersey, 39% of motor vehicle fatalities are alcohol-related.

“Statewide, traffic fatalities are down this year slightly more than 9% from 2003,” says Woodbridge Township Police Chief William Trenery. “We are hoping programs like You Drink and Drive, You Lose result in an even greater reduction.”

Law enforcement agencies participating in the You Drink and Drive, You Lose 2004 Holiday Enforcement Project offer the following advice:  

• If you plan to drink, choose a designated driver 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.
• Always buckle up – it’s your best defense against an impaired driver. 

“The holiday should be a time for celebration, not tragedy,” says Mayor Pelzman. “We are committed to eradicating impaired driving from our roads.”