Wyckoff Police Chief Benjamin C. Fox announced that the Wyckoff Police Department has received a grant in the amount of $4,400 from the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety as part of a campaign to enforce drunk driving laws.

The 2010 summer campaign is called “Over the Limit, Under Arrest”. Wyckoff Police take drunk driving seriously all year, and there will be an extra emphasis between August 20 and September 6 to conclude the summer season through the Labor Day weekend. The grant money will fund overtime patrols which will have additional officers on the streets looking for motorists who may be intoxicated. The details will include roving patrols and a DWI checkpoint at an undisclosed location.

This national effort is done to help raise awareness about the dangers of drunk driving through high-visibility enforcement and public education. The program which began in 1999 is conducted during some of the busiest travel times of the year.

Chief Fox warns motorists that if they are caught driving after having consumed too much alcohol, they will be arrested. That arrest comes with heavy monetary fines, surcharges and a license suspension. In New Jersey in 2009, 31% of the traffic fatalities involved alcohol. “It is impossible to safely operate a motor vehicle if you have consumed too much alcohol”, said Chief Fox. For that reason alone, if you drink and drive, the Wyckoff Police will make every effort to get you off the roadways. “We owe that to all the other motorists who expect to get to their destination safely”, said Chief Fox.

While light drinking in social situations may be ok, people must know their limits. The Wyckoff Police offer the following advice:

• If you plan to drink, it is wise to designate a driver who does not consume alcohol
• Take a taxi or otherwise get a ride if you know you have consumed too much alcohol
• Spend the night where the activity is held if necessary
• Always wear your seat belt regardless of your position in the vehicle
• Report drunk drivers on the road. In New Jersey dial #77 on a cell phone
• Don’t walk as a pedestrian if you know you are intoxicated