Montclair Police Will Hold DWI Checkpoint On Thursday

MONTCLAIR, NJ — Law enforcement officials from the Montclair Police Department will soon be cracking down on drivers impaired by alcohol or drugs as part of their Traffic Safety Initiatives for 2020.

According to a municipal news release, Montclair police will conduct a DWI checkpoint on Thursday, Sept. 24. It will be the first of several held throughout the fall and holiday season.

The location of Thursday's checkpoint wasn't disclosed.

In addition to stationary checkpoints, officers will be conducting additional roving enforcement details looking for motorists who may be driving while intoxicated, officials said.

According to the MPD:

“In 2017, 20 percent of all motor vehicle fatalities in New Jersey were alcohol-related. Nationally, more than 10,000 people die each year in drunk driving crashes. The societal cost associated with these crashes is estimated to be $37 billion annually.”

The Montclair Police Department offered the following advice as alternatives to drinking and driving:

• Take mass transit, a taxicab, or ask a sober friend to drive you home.
• Spend the night where the activity or party is held.
• If you see an impaired driver on the road, contact law enforcement. Your actions may save someone’s life, and inaction could cost a life.
• Always buckle-up, every ride. It’s 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 or escort you to your doorstep.
• Be responsible. If someone you know is drinking, do not let that person get behind the wheel.

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