Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


Another “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” impaired driving enforcement campaign is underway.

Impaired driving - whether due to alcohol, drugs, or both - is a year-round danger on Michigan’s roadways. However, late summer and the Labor Day holiday period are said to be among the deadliest times of the year for crashes and fatalities involving impaired drivers.

Over the Labor Day holiday weekends from 2019 to 2023, there were a total of 44 driver fatalities in traffic crashes in Michigan. In those crashes, 43.2% of the drivers killed were alcohol and/or drug-impaired - according to the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI).

Throughout 2023, of the 1,021 fatal crashes that occurred in Michigan, 272 (26.6%) were alcohol-involved and 230 (22.5%) were drug-involved.

During the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign - running through September 1st - there will be increased enforcement and messaging about the dangers of driving impaired.

Lt. Rene Gonzalez, Public Information Officer with First District Headquarters, told WHMI they want to bring down the deaths and injuries from crashes caused by impaired drivers – stressing safety during the late summer and the Labor Day holiday.

Gonzalez said they’re kind-of seeing the same trend – a slight increase in intoxicated drivers but also a problem with people impaired by drugs. He said they’re trying to eventually bring those numbers down, through both enforcement and education of the public.

During the enforcement period, the Michigan State Police, along with county and municipal police agencies across the state, will be encouraging motorists to celebrate the late summer and upcoming holiday weekend with safe-driving decisions.

Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning Director Alicia Sledge said “Getting behind the wheel of a vehicle after you’ve been drinking or taking drugs endangers you, your passengers and everyone else on the road. We are encouraging people to make the right choice and find a sober ride home if they plan on consuming substances that impair driving abilities.”

During the enforcement, police officers will be on the lookout for motorists under the influence of drugs and alcohol. In Michigan, it is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08% or higher, although drivers can be arrested at any BAC level if an officer believes they are impaired.

The “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign is supported with federal traffic safety funds provided by the United States Department of Transportation and NHTSA and administered by the OHSP.