(Southeastern IN) – Local law enforcement and Indiana State Police plan to increase patrols and impaired driving enforcement over the next few weeks heading into the Labor Day holiday.
Cops will beef up patrols and conduct sobriety checkpoints from August 16 and August 30 as part of the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over national enforcement campaign, which is led by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
“Our top priority is keeping our roads and our community safe,” said Decatur County Sheriff Bill Meyerrose. “The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign is an awareness effort to get the message out that drunk driving is illegal and it kills. Let’s make this a partnership between law enforcement and drivers: Help us protect the community and put an end to this dangerous behavior.”
Last year, nearly 14-percent of all traffic deaths in Indiana involved alcohol, and more than 35-percent of fatalities involved drug impairment, according to the Fatality Analysis Reporting System.
“If you are impaired, whether from alcohol, drugs, or even medication, you should not be behind the wheel,” said Douglas Huntsinger, Executive Director of the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute. “As we head into the final stretch of summer, we’re urging Hoosiers to make the responsible choice and plan ahead for a safe, sober ride.”
Motorists are encouraged to make transportation plans before consuming alcohol.
If you see a suspected drunk driver on the road, you’re urged to safely pull over and contact law enforcement.
For more information on impaired driving, visit www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving.
