The Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, along with the Jersey City Police Department and Hoboken Police Department, have revealed plans to establish a DWI (Driving While Intoxicated) checkpoint on Paterson Plank Road this Friday evening through to Saturday morning.
Paterson Plank Road, a county road that spans numerous municipalities, has previously been the site of eight fatal accidents over the past seven years. This specific area that the law enforcement is zeroing in on this weekend, that is around the Jersey City-Hoboken border close to Hope Street, has recently undergone improvements like rubberized lane delineators.
Officers at the checkpoint, operational from 10 p.m. Friday till 3:30 a.m. Saturday, will be on the lookout for drivers showing signs of being under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
According to Hudson County Sheriff Frank Schillari, the main aim of this checkpoint is to discourage and prevent impaired driving, rather than make arrests. Schillari highlighted that impaired driving isn’t merely caused by alcohol, as certain prescription or over-the-counter drugs can also compromise a driver’s ability to safely operate a vehicle.
Besides the checkpoint on Paterson Plank Road, Schillari confirmed that the Sheriff’s Office will be heightening patrols throughout the county over the holiday weekend to prevent instances of intoxicated driving.
Schillari’s office has also shared guidelines to ensure the safety of drivers and pedestrians:
If you’ve been drinking while out, choose mass transit, a taxi, a car service or ask a sober acquaintance to drive you back. If you’re intoxicated and need to get home on foot, it’s best to take a taxi or have someone sober drop you off at your doorstep. If you witness an impaired driver on the roads, immediately alert law enforcement. Remember that your proactive actions could potentially save a life. Be sure to always buckle up, regardless of the length of the drive, as it’s the best protection against an impaired driver. Finally, if you know someone who is drinking, it’s important to prevent them from getting behind the wheel.
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