As a New Jersey DWI defense attorney, I usually tell people arrested for drunk driving (or issued a summons for DWI, Drug DUI or other CDS-related traffic offenses) to seek the services of a qualified drunk driving lawyer. One of the more likely times to be stopped for driving while intoxicated is during seasonal DWI crackdowns where police used increased drunk driving patrols and sobriety checkpoints or DWI roadblocks to catch unsuspecting drivers who made the mistake of driving after drinking an alcoholic beverage.
According to news reports, law enforcement personnel from Lower Township will be on the alert for drunken driving violators as part of this summer’s “Over The Limit, Under Arrest” Campaign. Commencing August 20 and running until September 6, state and local police officers will be setting up sobriety checkpoints and operating what are referred to as “saturation patrols” as they seek out and arrest motorists who could be driving under the influence of alcohol or prescription drugs.
This is reportedly part of a national campaign to increase awareness of the dangers of driving drunk by using what authorities call high-visibility enforcement. The campaign also utilizes public education in the form of posters, banners and mobile video display signs.
As part of the local New Jersey initiative, the Division of Highway Traffic Safety provides grants to law enforcement agencies and police departments throughout the state funds to run this two-week campaign.
According to news police records, in 2009 185 people were killed in New Jersey as a result of alcohol-related crashes. According to authorities, that number represents 31 percent of the nearly 600 traffic fatalities reported last year across our state. Apparently 67 of those alcohol-related fatalities happened during the summer travel season.
Drivers all across New Jersey should be aware that law enforcement agencies statewide will be looking for individuals who may be violating traffic laws, precipitating a traffic stop, which then can easily result in a DWI arrest. As a drunk driving defense lawyer, I have seen the results of enhanced drunken driving enforcement campaigns.
Motorists are typically picked up on the road or at sobriety checkpoints. Penalties for driving while intoxicated — whether due to alcohol consumption or drug use — can be very stiff and may also result in jail time.
Lower Police to Crack Down on Drunk Drivers, CapeMayCountyHerald.com, August 4, 2010