(WXMI) — State troopers are reminding motorists to “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.”
Michigan State Police (MSP) says they will boost enforcement of the state’s driving laws Aug. 10–Sept. 4.
We’re told Labor Day weekend is one of the deadliest times to be on the road each year due to increased fatalities resulting from impaired driving.
A total of 571 people died on the road in Michigan last year because a driver had drugs or alcohol in their system, according to MSP. That’s out of 11,783 crashes involving driving impairments.
Citing data from the University of Michigan Transportation Institute, MSP says roughly 40% of traffic deaths in 2022 occurred when drivers were intoxicated.
“The aim of the enforcement campaign is to drastically reduce deaths and serious injuries caused by impaired driving,” says Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning Director Katie Bower. “This should be a time for friends and family to enjoy the final days of summer. Driving impaired is a choice. We are encouraging people to make the right choice and find a sober ride home if they plan on using an impairing substance.”
MSP wishes to remind motorists it’s against the law to operate a vehicle with blood alcohol content meeting or exceeding .08. Arrests may occur at lower concentrations if troopers believe the driver is impaired.
The enforcement campaign is funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, troopers say.
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