It's a busy weekend for people as families and friends get ready to celebrate the Fourth of July. But this upcoming weekend will also be busy for local and state law enforcement in New Jersey as patrols focus on keeping impaired drivers off the road.
In New Jersey, getting arrested for drunk driving can lead to stiff penalties that include fines and sometimes jail time. Even a first-time DWI conviction can result in a license suspension for up to a year. New Jersey residents are warned that patrols will be out in full force this weekend, stopping and ticketing drivers who are intoxicated behind the wheel.
One local police department spokesperson noted that the Fourth of July holiday weekend is the most dangerous for drivers, with the highest number of fatalities in a given weekend. Across the nation, several hundred fatalities were reported during the Fourth of July weekend in 2009. A campaign in New Jersey called "Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest." aims to decrease the number of alcohol-related crashes in the state.
Patrols will be on the roads, especially at night, watching for drivers who may exhibit signs of intoxication such as weaving across lanes or driving at irregular speeds. Once pulled over, the driver can expect to be subjected to a breath test and field sobriety tests. If the driver is indeed drunk driving, he or she can expect to be arrested and charged with a DWI.
The consequences of a DWI conviction are not simply the legal sanctions that the court can impose. A conviction goes on a driver's record and can affect future employment or even educational opportunities. If a driver does get arrested for drunk driving, it is important for him or her to take steps to try to minimize the consequences.
Source: Howell Patch online, "Local and State Governments Prepare for Holiday Weekend," Adam Hochron, 30 June 2011