🚨 Nutley Police Announce DUI Checkpoints Ahead of Labor Day Holiday
The Nutley Police Department will set up sobriety checkpoints through September 7 as part of a statewide crackdown on impaired driving. More than 100 New Jersey law enforcement agencies are participating in the campaign to increase road safety during Labor Day.
NUTLEY, NJ — Drivers across New Jersey should expect increased enforcement for impaired driving as law enforcement agencies participate in the annual “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign ahead of the Labor Day holiday.
The campaign runs August 19 through September 7, with more than 100 law enforcement agencies statewide receiving grant funding to conduct additional patrols and sobriety checkpoints.
The Nutley Police Department is among the participating agencies and will receive $7,000 in state funding to support the enforcement effort.
According to the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety, $511,580 in grants has been awarded to 106 local law enforcement agencies for this year’s campaign.
🚔 What Drivers Can Expect
Police will conduct increased patrols and may establish sobriety checkpoints to identify motorists operating under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
During a checkpoint, drivers may be briefly stopped and asked to provide their driver’s license, registration and insurance information. Officers may conduct additional screening if they develop reasonable suspicion that a driver is impaired.
New Jersey law enforcement agencies are required to follow established procedures when conducting sobriety checkpoints, including advance notice, predetermined stopping procedures, proper planning and supervision, clearly marked police vehicles, appropriate lighting and uniformed officers.
Police do not have to publicly disclose the exact location of a checkpoint in advance.
📢 Why Announce Checkpoints?
The advance publicity is intentional.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the primary purpose of sobriety checkpoints is deterrence — increasing the perceived likelihood of being caught so people make the decision not to drive after drinking or using drugs.
Last year’s Labor Day campaign resulted in 1,612 impaired-driving arrests statewide. Police also issued 6,228 speeding summonses, 3,192 seat-belt citations, 1,526 cellphone-use citations and 88,599 additional motor-vehicle summonses.
New Jersey recorded 186 fatalities in 2024 involving an alcohol- or drug-impaired driver, according to the most recent National Highway Traffic Safety Administration statistics. Impaired driving was identified as a contributing factor in nearly 27% of the state’s fatal crashes that year.
🍺 Don’t Drive Impaired
Officials are urging anyone who plans to drink or use impairing substances to make arrangements before getting behind the wheel.
Designate a sober driver, use a rideshare or taxi, arrange another safe ride, or stay where you are.
👉 If you’ve been drinking or are impaired, don’t drive.