West Milford joins statewide crackdown, By Terry McGahan west milford Police throughout New Jersey begin their crackdown on impaired driving today (Friday, Aug. 18). The increase in enforcement is part of the, You Drink and Drive, You Lose,’ campaign which runs until Labor Day, Sept. 4. West Milford Police Department will fully implement the concentrated effort and if any proof were needed to confirm that, five drivers were arrested last week in the township for driving under the influence. Police Chief Paul Costello will lead the town’s effort to catch intoxicated drivers. This is the second year of this campaign, which proved costly to a number of drivers in West Milford last year. Costello said, “During the two-week campaign last year, we had five driving while intoxicated arrests, 36 speeding violations, two refusals to submit to breathalyzer tests, 18 seatbelt summons and a total of 207 summons in that two-week period.” The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that in New Jersey, 31 percent of all motor vehicle fatalities are alcohol-related, and a total of almost 18,000 people are killed every year on America’s roads as a result of impaired drivers. Costello believes West Milford does not have a specific drunk driving problem but did highlight some of the particular difficulties the town does have. “The problem in our municipality is with 80 square miles of rural roads, particularly at nighttime; they’re not well lit, they’re curvy and windy and most of the speed limits are between 40 and 50 miles per hour,” Costello said. “When you add an impaired driver to those criteria, it’s a recipe for an accident.” The penalties for being caught driving while impaired are especially tough in New Jersey. For a first-time offender with a blood alcohol content of .10 percent or greater the driver can lose their license for a period of between seven months to a year. On top of that, there may be a fine of $300 to $500 plus a surcharge of $1000 per year for a three-year period imposed by the Motor Vehicle Commission. James Friedman is a Newark lawyer who specializes in defending drivers accused of driving under the influence. From his perspective the treatment of convicted impaired drivers falls short of what is really needed in the state. Friedman said, “The penalties even for a first-time offender can be serious and lasting. Most of them are monetary but the driver’s driving privileges or driver’s license is suspended, typically for a period of 6 months. In New Jersey, as we all know, you need a car to do just about anything, especially work. So when you suspend someone’s driver’s license - especially for a long period - you are not just keeping them off the road. You are probably preventing them from making a living or doing things that are necessary to care for their family members.” There is little or no attempt to treat the underlying problems of a convicted driver according to Friedman. “In some cases, a treatment program would probably be more beneficial for everyone than the standard menu of penalties that are typically imposed in a completely robotic fashion,” said Friedman, “I don’t mean to minimize DWI/DUI - it is a severe offense. But the way we deal with it in New Jersey - particularly the fact that there is essentially no plea bargaining, the length of the driver’s license suspension and the lack of attention paid to treatment of an underlying addiction - all need to be revisited. We could be managing these cases better.” Chief Costello provided the clearest advice to West Milford drivers: “There will be a zero tolerance policy. If you are going somewhere where you are going to be drinking, the best thing is to have a designated driver or alternate means of transportation.”