Clinton Township Newsletter

2 j u l y 2 0 2 2 W W W . C L I N T O N T W P N E W S L E T T E R . C O M Happy INDEPENDENCE day! Oriental Rug Specialist Since 1934 Sale & Service of Oriental Rugs & Carpets Family Owned and Operated Over 70 Years U.S. Highway 22 E. Whitehouse NJ 08888 908•534•2125 www.vandorenoil.com e-mail: info@vandorenoil.com HEATING OIL • GASOLINE • DIESEL FUEL • BURNER SERVICE • POST-HOLE DIGGING Locally Owned and Operated by Phil & Diane Koury 185 Center St., Clinton | 908.735.4499 Ask Officer Raff: Dear Officer Raff, With marijuana now being treated the same as alcohol in NJ, how are the police enforcing DUI laws? Is there a test to check just how "high" someone is behind the wheel? Signed, Riding Clean Dear Riding Clean, While marijuana is now legal in New Jersey, driving high is not. At this time, the Attorney General has not yet clarified if the police can test a driver's blood to determine level of impairment, nor has the state declared an allowable limit. And even if the state does codify a limit, there are currently no testing devices which have been deemed reliable by the courts. At this time, we are relying upon the training and experience of patrol officers to spot impaired drivers, and the further expertise of our Drug Recognition Experts (DRE) to determine what is causing the driver's impairment. We are very fortunate in Clinton Township to have four (soon to be five) officers who are certified DRE's. These experts, all of whom graduated from an extensive "training course established by the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, employ a 12-step process based on 'observable signs and symptoms that are known to be reliable indicators of drug impairment'," are called upon when alcohol is determined not to be the cause of impairment by the initial investigating officer.– Sincerely, Officer Raff www.njherald.com/story/news/new-jersey/2022/05/17/nj-pot-legalization-how-do-police-id- weed-impaired-high-drivers/9677668002/?a=a&utm_source=njherald-DailyBriefing&utm_ medium=email&utm_campaign=daily_briefing&utm_term=hero&utm_content=NNJH- NEWJERSEY-NEWTON-NLETTER65 Dear Officer Raff, Since the weather started to warm up a few weeks ago, I've noticed A LOT more people out and about, walking around town. I've witnessed a few people dart out from in between parked cars to cross the street and I've also seen cars fail to stop for someone crossing in the crosswalk. Who has the right of way and what is the pedestrian law in New Jersey? Sincerely, Wary of Walkers Dear Wary, The warm weather definitely brings an increase in pedestrian traffic, so drivers should be very aware and alert while driving and pedestrians should be equally alert. Pedestrian safety is a two-way street, with both the pedestrian and vehicle operator bearing the responsibility. Pedestrians: n Always cross at corners, within marked crosswalks where available. n If crossing in other locations, yield the right of way to vehicles. Failure to obey the law carries a $54 fine (court costs additional; C.39:4-32, 33) n Look left, right and left again before crossing. Watch for turning cars. n Always walk facing traffic. n Obey traffic signals, especially "Walk/Don't Walk." n Remain alert! Don't assume that cars are going to stop. n Wear reflective clothing when walking at night. n Stay sober. Walking while impaired greatly increases your chances of being struck. Motorists: n Stop for pedestrians in marked crosswalks. Failure to stop carries a $200 (court costs additional) fine, a 2 point license penalty, 15 days community service, and insurance surcharges. (C.39:4-36) n Watch for pedestrians when turning right on red. n Obey speed limits. n Do not block or park in crosswalks. n Keep your windshield clean for maximum visibility. n Be alert for pedestrian at all times. (www.nj.gov/oag/hts/pedestrian.html) Don't miss our very first Clinton Township National Night Out! The Clinton Township Police Department, along with the Town of Clinton Police Department, South Branch Emergency Services, Annandale Hose Company, Clinton Fire Department and North Hunterdon High School will be hosting the event on Tuesday, August 2 at NHHS. If your organization would like to participate, please contact Officer Raff, (Ptl. Raffaella Vastola, #54, Clinton Township Police Department, School Resource Officer/Juvenile Officer) by calling: (office): 908.735.6000, ext. 418 or emailing: rvastola@ctpd.org. Visit: www.ctpd.org for more details. We hope to see you there!

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