As drunk driving defense attorneys, the legal staff here at the Law Offices of Jonathan F. Marshall have a great deal of expertise in defending motorists accused of operating their car, truck or motorcycle while under the influence of alcohol, doctor-prescribed meds and even illegal substances (also referred to as CDSs, or controlled dangerous substances). Whether one has been arrested in Bergen, Hudson, Ocean or Monmouth County, the penalties for DWI or drug DUI can be quite harsh, because of which it makes all the more sense to consult a qualified drunk driving lawyer following a DWI incident.
Living and working here in the Garden State, it is important to understand the affect that the law has on people who have been charged with a traffic violation such as drunken driving. Equally as important, one should be aware of the implications of any number of related offenses, like breath test refusal, drug-related DUI, possession of a CDS in a motor vehicle, underage drinking and/or driving, etc.
As motorists ourselves, we share the road with the rest of the New Jersey driving public and we know the dangers involved in drinking and driving from our work with clients accused of DWI as well as from a variety of case law and trial experience. We also know that the state — including law enforcement and the judicial system — has an extremely low tolerance for individual who have been convicted of drunk driving.
One common manifestation of this predisposition toward catching, charging and convicting motorists who operate their cars while intoxicated is the frequent sobriety checkpoints and enhanced DWI patrols at certain times of the year. In fact, one of those times is right around the corner again. St. Patrick’s Day is a time of revelry and, dare we say, drinking… sometimes to excess. It’s no surprise, then, that police departments all around the country ramp up enforcement efforts in anticipation of the inevitable increase in DWI incidents.
One example of the many local policing efforts was discussed in a news article a few days ago. According to that report, the Westfield police department plans to crack down on drunken drivers in the days ahead. With March 17th falling on a weekend, there is no doubt much consternation regarding the amount of drinking and possible drunken driving that may take place on the Friday and Saturday prior to the “high holy day.”
As we usually advise friends, relative and colleagues, it’s best to drive with extra caution during these periods of heightened traffic enforcement, if only because the odds of running across another driver who isn’t 100-percent sober could be quite high. While we don’t always agree with the methods or conclusions reached by police officers when it comes to who should be charged with DWI or DUI, we do know that, statistically at least, holidays are times of increased drunk driving activities.
With that said, we remind everyone to be cautious and watch out for the other drivers. As the public safety messages reminds everyone: “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.” For example, over in Westfield, patrolmen will be out in force, with additional patrols and likely one or more DWI roadblocks in certain areas of high drunk driving activity in the past. Stay safe and stay alive.
Westfield Police to Crack Down on Drunk Driving this St. Patrick’s Day, TheAlternativePress.com, March 9, 2013