Labor Day weekend means spike in drunk driving charges

On Behalf of | Aug 8, 2013 | Drunk Driving |

In a few weeks it will be Labor Day, which means barbeque and beer with friends and family. Sadly, Labor Day is also known for a huge spike in drunk driving charges. While everyone should have fun this Labor Day weekend, it is important to play it safe. No one wants to face a DUI charge, and some New Jersey counties have already announced plans to ramp up the police presence and come down hard on motorists.

Mendham Township is well known for taking drunk driving seriously. In fact, in no small part to its efforts to crack down on drunk driving, Mendham saw a 200 percent increase in arrests for drunk driving just last year. Because of this, the Mendham Township Police Department was recently awarded a grant to ramp up its DWI enforcement. The grant is part of a campaign to reduce drunk driving over Labor Day weekend.

The 2013 Labor Day “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign is a national campaign to raise awareness about the hazards associated with drinking and driving. The campaign utilizes high visibility enforcement and public education to educate the public about the issue. One issue New Jersey police like to highlight is that in 2012 alcohol-impaired deaths accounted for nearly 20 percent of the states motor vehicle fatalities.

Drunk driving is a serious offense in New Jersey. Motorists convicted of a DUI or OWI charge face serious penalties including possible jail time, probation, monetary fines, license revocation and now the use of an ignition interlock device just to name a few. If someone is in the unfortunate situation of being stopped for driving while intoxicated it is important to contact an experienced criminal defense attorney immediately.

Source: Mendham-Chester Patch, “Drunken Driving Crackdown Returns to Mendham,” Russ Crespolini, August 05, 2013

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