Page 6 THE VILLADOM TIMES I • August 20, 2014 Area ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ campaign hits streets Law enforcement officers will be cracking down on drunk drivers as part of the 2014 Labor Day “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign. Now through Sept. 1, local and state law enforcement officers will conduct sobriety checkpoints and roving patrols, looking for motorists who may be driving while intoxicated. “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” is a national campaign designed to raise awareness about the dangers of drink- ing and driving through high-visibility Rescue training provided Marc Dreier, M.D., medical director of The Valley Hospital’s Mobile Intensive Care Unit, in partnership with the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, recently trained police officers from more than 30 Bergen County towns in the use of Narcan nasal spray, which temporarily counters the effect of heroin and other opioids, allowing time for the victim to be brought to a hospital for medical care. The training paves the way for police across the county to begin carrying Narcan, which can be the difference between life or death for someone suffering from a heroin overdose. Dr. Dreier (second from left) demonstrates the use of Narcan nasal spray to Lodi Police Sgt. Christopher Perrilli, while Lt. Robert McManus and Chief of Detec- tives Carmen Martino, of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, look on. enforcement and public education tools, including posters, banners, and mobile video display signs. Launched across the U.S. in 1999, the program aims to combat drunk driving during the busy summer travel season, including the Labor Day holiday period. “The most recent statistics on drunk driving deaths nationwide revealed that driving while intoxicated related deaths have increased to over 10,000 per year as of 2012. This is an unacceptable amount of senseless tragedies that affect families all over our country,” said Midland Park Police Sergeant Noah Van Vliet. “Driving while intoxicated is a com- pletely avoidable arrest,” he added. “Driv- ers need to start taking responsibility for their actions. They need to do the respon- sible thing when consuming alcoholic beverages, get a ride from a sober driver or stay put. It’s that simple. “For years now, the public has been thoroughly educated through different media outlets on the dangers of driving while intoxicated. Education + enforce- ment are only two ways to help prevent these tragedies. “It is imperative that we as police offi- cers keep these impaired drivers off the road. We don’t want our families becom- ing a statistic any more than anyone else.” In 2013, alcohol-impaired fatalities accounted for 22 percent of New Jersey’s motor vehicle fatalities. As part of the initiative, the Division of Highway Traf- fic Safety provides grants to local law enforcement agencies throughout the state to run the two-week campaign. Law enforcement agencies participat- ing in the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over 2014 crackdown provide the following advice: • If you plan to drink, designate a driver, someone who will not drink alco- hol, before going out. • Take mass transit or 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, regard- less of your seating position in the vehicle. It is your best defense against an impaired driver. • If you are 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.