Nutley Cops Cracking Down on Holiday Drunk Driving

Hold off on that second cup of eggnog.

This holiday season, Nutley police will be out in force cracking down on drunk drivers throughout the township with aggressive Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement.

Until Jan. 1, Nutley officers will be watching for drunk drivers.

“You’ll see us making lots of stops during this highly visible enforcement period and if we suspect anyone is driving while intoxicated, officers will show zero tolerance for drunk driving,” Nutley Police Chief Thomas Strumolo said in an email.

Strumolo said the holiday season is a particularly deadly time due to the increased number of drunk drivers on the roads. He noted that nationally, in the Decembers from 2007 to 2011 there were 4,169 people killed in crashes that involved drivers with blood alcohol concentrations of .08 grams per deciliter or higher.

Strumolo cited statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which said 32,367 people were killed in motor vehicle traffic crashes in the U.S. in 2011, with 31 percent (9,878) of those fatalities occurring in drunk-driving-related crashes.

“The December holiday season is the ‘most wonderful time of the year,’ and we are going to keep our roads safe for travelers heading to visit friends and family,” said Mayor Alphonse Petracco.

Drunk drivers often face jail time, the loss of their driver licenses, higher insurance rates, and dozens of other unanticipated expenses ranging from attorney fees, court costs, car towing and repairs, to lost wages due to time off from work.

Even worse, a drunk driver can cause a traffic crash that claims someone’s life, or their own. Please follow these tips to keep the holidays safe and happy: 

• Even one drink can impair your judgment and increase the risk of getting arrested for driving drunk—or worse, the risk of having a crash while driving.

• If you will be drinking, do not plan on driving. Plan ahead; designate a sober driver before the party begins.

• If you have been drinking, do not drive. Call a taxi, phone a sober friend or family member or use public transportation. 

• Be responsible. If someone you know is drinking, do not let that person get behind the wheel. 

• If you see an impaired driver on the road, contact law enforcement. Your actions may save someone’s life, and inaction could cost a life.

Remember, it is never safe to drink and drive: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.