Cedar Grove to Increase DWI Patrols

Cedar Grove Police plan to crack down on drinking and driving later this month. 

The department will participate in the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over 2013 Labor Day Statewide Crackdown,” according to a release from Chief Richard Vanderstreet. 

The campaign begins on Friday, August 16 and runs through Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 2.

During these two weeks, Cedar Grove will join in the nationwide effort to raise awareness about the dangers of drinking and driving through high visibility enforcement and public education tools, such as posters and banners.

A grant from the New Jersey Division of Traffic Safety will help provide Cedar Grove with additional DWI patrols during the campaign.

“Officers will be out in full force to detect, arrest and prosecute any motorist found to be operating a motor vehicle while under the influence of drugs or alcoholic beverages,” Vanderstreet said.

The program was launched in 1999 to help combat drunk driving during the busiest travel times of the year, which include Labor Day weekend.

Last year, 19% of motor vehicle fatalities involved a driver impaired by alcohol or drugs, according to the NJDOT.

The police department advises picking a designated driver before heading out, taking mass transit, calling a cab or asking a sober friend to drive you home. Other advice includes spending the night where the activity is being held and always buckling up.