Patrols an effort to identify drivers impaired by alcohol, drugs
During various times throughout the year, the Cherry Hill Police Department conducts roving patrols in an effort to identify those drivers that may be impaired by alcohol or drugs while also operating a motor vehicle. The roving patrols are designed to make the roadways safer by deterring and apprehending intoxicated drivers.
According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 9,967 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes across the United States in 2014, which was 31 percent of the total fatalities for the year. An average of 1 alcohol-impaired driving fatality occurred every 53 minutes in 2014. Of the 556 traffic fatalities in New Jersey in 2014, 201 were killed as a result of alcohol involvement. That number represents 36 percent of the state’s traffic fatalities reported that year, and an increase of 10 percent over the previous year.
Law enforcement officers from Cherry Hill Township offer the following advice:
• If you plan to drink, designate a driver before going out who will not drink alcohol.
• Take mass transit, a taxi, or ask a sober friend to drive you home.
• Spend the night where the activity is held.
• Report impaired drivers to law enforcement. In New Jersey, drivers may dial #77 to report a drunk or aggressive driver.
• Always buckle up, every ride, regardless of your seating position in the vehicle. It’s your best defense against an impaired driver.
• If you’re intoxicated and traveling on foot, the safest way to get home is to take a cab or have a sober friend or family member drive you to your doorstep
