Message from Councilmember Ellen Zimmerman | November 18, 2021
Emergency responders from Scotch Plains and Fanwood gave students at the high school an extremely visible reminder of what can happen if they decide to drive drunk.
Last Wednesday, the police, fire and rescue squads closed off Happel Court next to Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School. Blaring emergency vehicles raced to the scene where a staged, mangled car hit a tree, as part of the fictional demonstration. The high school students watched the simulation intently, their phones down. We can only hope this startling incident further reinforces the important message of the risks of impaired driving.
I want to thank the Distributive Education Clubs of America (DECA) students, the Municipal Alliance Committee, and the Scotch Plains-Fanwood PTA Chemical Dependency Committee, which coordinated this very serious and informative event.
Some might believe such gruesome simulations are unnecessary. I do not. Drunk driving still remains the top cause of fatalities on New Jersey roadways. In America, every two minutes, someone is injured by a drunk driver. And, every 51 minutes, someone is killed, MADD reports.
We need to ensure our children have a safe ride home. Because of non-drinking designated drivers, carpools, taxis and Uber, there is absolutely no excuse for driving drunk in Scotch Plains, or anywhere else. We need to continually remind our teens about the need to wear their safety belts and how they play a key role in keeping our shared roadways safe. Together, we need to plan ahead and make sure everyone gets home safely.
Not only is drunk driving reckless and potentially lethal, it also can be very expensive. State Farm did an analysis of average vehicle insurance in New Jersey. If you are convicted of driving under the influence, the average $1,757 auto policy would balloon 86% as you would be considered a high-risk driver, ultimately paying $3,264 for the exact same policy. For teens, I can’t even imagine how expensive that premium would be.
And then, you still need to deal with the courts.
If you are arrested for DUI in New Jersey, the penalties include a driver’s license suspension of 3 to 12 months; fines and fees of approximately $750 to $1,000; up to 30 days in jail; up to 48 hours of driver instruction at the Intoxicated Driver Resource Center (IDRC) and a $1,000 per year surcharge for three years.
The penalties for a second offense are much worse: a two-year loss of license; 30 days of community service and up to 90 days in jail; 48 hours at the IDRC; up to $1,500 in fines and fees as well as the mandatory $3,000 in surcharges.
From there, you are dealing with definite jail time –180 days behind bars and a 10-year loss of license for the third offense.
The big message for our teens: Is this all worth it?
Again, allow me to express my deepest appreciation to Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School, as well as all of our emergency responders, who participated in this eye-opening simulation. My hope is this program – and others like it – will help keep our kids, and our entire community, safe.
MADD offers terrific resources at madd.org, with state-by-state analysis. It is a must-read for anyone who still thinks they are entitled to drive on our roadways after a night of drinking.
