(WSYM) — Law enforcement agencies across the state plan to crack down on impaired driving from Aug. 16 through Sept. 6.
The Office of Highway Safety Planning says the Labor Day holiday weekend is one of the deadliest times of the year in terms of impaired driving fatalities.
There will be extra enforcement and increased officers on the roadway, aiming to reduce drunk and drugged driving.
“The Labor Day holiday is a time for fun and community as families and friends gather for a final, late-summer celebration. Unfortunately, there are people who will make the wrong choice to drive impaired, needlessly putting themselves and others at risk,” said Michael L. Prince, OHSP director, in a news release. “The law enforcement officers participating in these campaigns are dedicated to enforcing our traffic laws and keeping our roadways safe. We need people to understand that it’s up to them to make the smart decision to drive sober.”
OHSP says over the 2020 Labor Day holiday period in Michigan, there were 1,833 crashes, including 15 fatal crashes, resulting in 15 fatalities. Of those 15 fatal crashes, 8 involved alcohol and/or drugs.
During last year’s August enforcement campaign, OHSP says officers made 181 OWI (Operating While Intoxicated) and 35 OUID (Operating Under the Influence of Drugs) arrests for a total of 216 alcohol- and drug-related arrests.
