The South Orange Police Department set up check points on the night of Aug. 30 where people driving past were stopped and told to take a breathalyzer test.
Some Seton Hall students who had to drive through these check points were confused as to what was going on.
Director of Public Safety, Patrick Linfante, said these check points had nothing to do with Seton Hall itself.
Linfante said this is an annual program set up by the Division of Highway Safety to ensure driver safety around holidays, such as Labor Day weekend.
"[SOPD] have Labor Day weekend, big celebration, so they put out these check points to cut down on traffic accidents," Linfante said. "Nothing to do with Seton Hall, it's paid by the state, funded by the state."
Linfante said he doesn't think any Seton Hall student was arrested during these check points, either.
According to the official state of New Jersey website, police officers are responsible for setting up check points all over the state.
"Troopers will also be moving around the state to identify the drunk and drinking driver and will also staff stationary sobriety checkpoints in all State Police patrol areas," New Jersey officials said.
According to Vanessa Cruz of the Hudson Reporter, this program was launched in 1999 to prevent drinking and driving during one of the most traffic congested holiday weekends.
"Statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that the number of alcohol-impaired-driving fatalities in New Jersey has fallen," Cruz said.
Linfante added that these checkpoints are set up around most holidays, not just on Labor Day weekend.
"Fourth of July, Labor Day, those kinds of holidays where there have been a lot of traffic deaths in the past," Linfante said.
According to Linfante, the checkpoints should not be seen as a bad thing by the student body.
The checkpoints should also not be a point of student concern, he added.
"They do these programs to cut down on traffic deaths so it's a good thing, not a bad thing," Linfante said.
Students are advised to only get in a vehicle with a sober driver.
Lindsay Rittenhouse can be reached at lindsay.rittenhouse@student.shu.edu\
