Traffic Safety Campaign Encourages Sober Driving as Labor Day Holiday Nears

Law enforcement across Michigan are stepping up enforcement of impaired driving beginning Friday, August 12 through September 5, in a “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign.

According to a study from the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, nearly 45 percent of fatalities on Michigan roadways involved drugs or alcohol. Law enforcement officials said that Labor Day weekend is especially dangerous, with 11 fatalities occurring last year during the holiday weekend.

In addition to stepping up enforcement, the campaign will increase messaging about the dangers of driving under the influence.

“The aim of the enforcement campaign is to drastically reduce deaths and serious injuries caused by impaired driving,” said Katie Bower, director of the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP). “This should be a time for friends and family to enjoy the final days of summer. Impaired driving puts everyone at risk and is always unacceptable.”

The OHSP has also produced a new commercial, titled “Impaired and You Know It.”

The “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign is supported with federal traffic safety funds provided by the United States Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and coordinated by the OHSP.