July 18, 2015
Commuters along the Garden State Parkway encountered delays Saturday night as New Jersey State Police set up a sobriety checkpoint that will act as a deterrent to driving under the influence on an accident-prone stretch of the highway.
The checkpoint has been established near the PNC Bank Arts Center on the northbound side of the Garden State Parkway in Holmdel, according to a statement on the Facebook page of the New Jersey State Police.
“Enhanced DWI enforcement on the Garden State Parkway will serve as a deterrent to people who may be inclined to take the wheel after having too much to drink,” said Lt. Colonel Patrick Callahan, Deputy Superintendent. “We are confident that taking impaired drivers off the road will reduce the overall number of crashes in the area.”
The release notes that there were 79 crashes involving alcohol in the area of the new DWI sobriety checkpoint in 2014, while three of nine fatal accidents in the area were alcohol-related. Between 2012 and 2014, more than 1,000 arrests were made near the PNC Bank Arts Center venue.
Troopers will be alert to signs of impairment due to alcohol or drugs. Those who plan on drinking while in the area are urged to have a designated driver determined prior to travel.
