Posted: December 29, 2015
Police across New Jersey will be patrolling more than usual this week. At this time last year, a New Jersey man made the news when he made the mistake of telling the cops who arrested him for DUI early January 1, “It’s New Year’s Eve, everyone drives drunk.” This attitude is far too common and NJ law enforcement is hoping to change it.
The driver from last year’s news story, Daniel Pratts, failed to stop at a stop sign in Vineland, and as he sped through the intersection, he narrowly missed hitting a cop car carrying the department’s K-9.
After failing a field sobriety test, Pratts was arrested. At the police station, he first denied drinking before driving but later reportedly told a cop that everyone drives drunk on New Year’s Eve. He received citations for DUI, reckless driving, and refusing to take a breathalyzer.
New Milford cops join stateside DWI patrol program
In anticipation of the New Year’s festivities, New Jersey cops will be flooding the streets. New Milford police will be joining police departments across New Jersey in a statewide effort to crack down on DWIs this New Year’s. The campaign will last through New Year’s Day and include sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols.
The New Jersey effort is part of a national “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign that seeks to educate the public about the dangers of impaired driving. The program naturally targets this time of year because drunk driving is more common; according to Lt. Rich Barber, of Galloway, impaired driving typically increases by close to 10 percent.
The cost of drunk driving accidents
Alcohol was a factor in more than a quarter of all traffic fatalities in New Jersey last year. Drunk driving claims the lives of more than 10,000 annually across the country. The cumulative cost of these wrecks is estimated at $37 billion per year.
In anticipation of the DWI round-up, police have offered the following advice:
- Get a ride from a sober friend, a taxi, or mass transit
- Stay the night instead of heading home
- Alert law enforcement if you see signs of impaired driving
- Wear a seat belt
- Even travelling on foot is not safe when you are drunk so call a cab or sober friend instead
- Do not let a friend who has been drinking get behind the wheel
Unfortunately, drunk drivers take the road every day but they do so far more freely when taking part in New Year’s festivities. Victims of drunk driving crashes have the right to hold those responsible accountable. Money may be available to reimburse medical bills – past and future – compensate for pain and suffering, lost wages, and lost companionship, and, in the worst case scenarios, funeral and wrongful death expenses.
If you have been the victim of a drunk driving accident in New Jersey, put experience on your side. The car accident lawyers at Eisbrouch Marsh offer no obligation legal consultations for victims. Call 201-342-5545 to schedule a free case review with seasoned attorneys.
Resources
- NY Daily News, New Jersey man tells cops ‘everyone drives drunk’ on New Year’s Eve during DUI arrest, http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/man-tells-cops-drives-drunk-dui-arrest-article-1.2070036
- New Milford Patch, New Milford Area Cops Are Going After More Of THIS, http://patch.com/new-jersey/newmilford-nj/new-milford-area-cops-are-going-after-more
