Police hope to deter unsafe driving in Dec.
BY CHRIS MURINO Staff Writer

SOUTH BRUNSWICK - This holiday season, the township police department is attempting to stop the most dreaded of traditions: the rise in underage drinking, aggressive driving and drunken driving that usually occurs during the month of December.

"Operation Happy Holidays" is a program that will include increased aggressive driving and drunken-driving patrols and undercover officers targeting alcohol sales. The plan will run through New Year's Day.

"December is the worst time period, only followed by May and June, just because of the amount of events that go on," Detective James Ryan said. "We see a spike in alcoholrelated incidents from the holiday parties and the end-of-the-year parties.

"Our goal is just to bring safety to the roadways," he continued, "[by] stopping things like lane changes without yielding, careless driving and reckless driving."

A $30,000 grant from the state has allowed the police department to put extra officers on the street during the holidays. Ryan said each shift, which is in four-hour intervals, would have at least two extra officers for aggressive driving and about two extra officers for the drunken-driving patrol.

"Our officers and support staff are constantly researching and applying for state and federal grants to enhance our services with no cost increase to our residents," Chief Raymond Hayducka said in a press release. "The holiday time is especially dangerous with increased traffic to area malls and holiday gatherings where alcohol is served."

"The money from the state has allowed for extra officers for the shifts that are needed," Ryan added.

Underage drinking will be targeted as well. Ryan also said that some officers will be stationed outside liquor stores, watching for anything suspicious as the patrons get into their vehicles.

"We'll work with the local businesses that serve alcohol [and] have an officer in there to identify who are underage with fake identification," the detective said. "Alcohol is a big thing. When you combine that with the yearend parties, it can be a real recipe for disaster."

So far this year, there have been two deaths as a result of accidents on South Brunswick roadways and six people died last year, although not from alcohol-related incidents. In addition, Hayducka said the number of serious motor vehicle accidents has decreased this year.