Drive Sober


For the protection of our community, the Voorhees Township Police Department will be cracking down on drivers impaired by alcohol or drugs through early January 2024. The “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Campaign” is part of a national push to prevent drivers from getting behind the wheel while under the influence of alcohol or drugs and will include saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints focusing on motorists who may be intoxicated while driving. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, one person is killed every 52 minutes in drunk-driving crashes.

Across the state, NJ police are on high alert for drunk drivers. Over 100 police departments in New Jersey, including Voorhees,received grant funding totaling $632,520 that helps pay for increased patrols and the sobriety checkpoints. In 2020, the campaign resulted in 590 DUI arrests and the departments that participated issued 3,121 summonses for speeding and 817 summons for seat belt violations.

In New Jersey, crashes involving drunk drivers account for approximately 25% of all traffic deaths. Fatalities from drunk driving increase during the Christmas and New Year’s Day holiday period more than any other time, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Every holiday season, hundreds of lives are lost due to drunk drivers and alcohol-impaired fatalities make up more than a quarter of all crash fatalities.

Our Police offer the following advice for the holiday season:

• Take mass transit, a taxi, Uber or similar service or ask a sober friend to drive you home.
• If you see an impaired driver on the road, contact law enforcement. Your action may save someone’s life and failure to act could cost a life.
• Spend the night where the activity or party is held.
• Be responsible. If someone you know is drinking, do not let that person get behind the wheel.

Since 2015, Voorhees Township has instituted the “VoorheesSaves Lives” Program.  The program was initiated to reduce the incidence of drunk driving and save our police department time and money by reducing the number of driving while intoxicated accidents.  The program provides free rides home to Voorhees residents from any participating restaurant or bar in Voorhees and the ChopHouse in Gibbsboro.  Voorhees and Uber are working together to reduce alcohol related car incidents. Residents should have an active Uber account to receive the voucher.  In any participating restaurant, scan the below QR code with your phone camera, click on the yellow uber.com symbol that pops up and follow the prompts.

The free service will not be provided from one establishment to another but only from the establishment to home. The program is available every day from 9pm to 2am. Voorhees Saves Lives has a limit of two free trips per month with a maximum fare of $15 and tips are not included. No tax dollars are used for this program. It is fully funded through the Voorhees Citizens Event Foundation. Participating restaurants are Dooney’s Pub, Iron Hill Brewery, The Library II Restaurant, Ott’s Tavern and The ChopHouse. Please support these establishments. For more information, visit https://r.uber.com/rZFcyBm6YRz 

 

Enjoy the holidays and please be safe!

** The Voorhees Breakfast Rotary Club is hosting the 15thAnnual Community Service Awards Dinner on Thursday, Jan. 18 from 6:00 to 9:15 pm at Lucien’s Distinguished Catering in Berlin. This year’s honorees are Luigi Epifanio, owner of San Remo Pizzeria, as Voorhees Businessperson of the Year, Aqil Khan as Voorhees Citizen of the Year and Kaylyn Joesten, an Eastern High School student, as Voorhees Selfless Student of the Year. The cost to attend the event is $95 per person or $735 for a table of eight.  Hors d’oeuvres will be served followed by dinner, dessert and the awards ceremony.  Complimentary wine and beer will be available during the cocktail hour. Sponsorships are available.  For more information, contact Nick Colanzi at 856-435-6200 x224 or VoorheesBreakfastRC@gmail.com