By: Najla Alexander
Somerset County officials announced that Somerset County law enforcement joins the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) safety initiative to educate the public about the importance of sober driving.
NHTSA’s national Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving drunk-driving prevention campaign urges drivers to understand the importance of sober driving and to help get drunk drivers off the road, SCPO officials say.
According to Somerset County officials, drunk driving is illegal and deadly. Nationally, it is illegal to drive with a BAC of .08 g/dL or higher, except in Utah, where the limit is .05 g/dL. Even a small amount of alcohol can affect driving ability.
The financial impact from impaired-driving crashes is devastating, SCPO officials stated. Crashes in which alcohol was the cause resulted in $57 billion in economic costs. Drinking and driving is a risk no one should take; doing so can cause injury or death to the driver, passengers, and others on the road. The consequences of drunk driving could be life-altering.
Law Enforcement throughout Somerset and Hunterdon Counties, as well as the rest of the United States, will be out on the roads to ensure a happy and safe Thanksgiving Holiday Period, according to Somerset County officials.
SCPO officials said making a poor decision can affect many lives and turn what should be an enjoyable and celebratory time into one of loss, pain, and sadness.
Plan Ahead for a Safe Celebration
• Always drive 100% sober.
• Plan ahead: Before you ever indulge, designate a sober driver to get you home safely. If you wait until after to make this decision, you might not make the best one.
• You have options to get home safely: Designate a sober driver or call a taxi or rideshare. Getting home safely is always worth it.
• If it’s your turn to be the designated driver, take your job seriously and don’t drink.
• If you see an impaired driver on the road, contact local law enforcement.
• If you have a friend who is about to drive impaired, take the keys away and let a sober driver get your friend home safely.
For more information, visit www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving.