LANSING - The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Campaign begins on August 14 and goes until September 7. Throughout the remainder of August and the 2020 Labor Day holiday weekend, police departments, sheriff’s offices and the Michigan State Police are encouraging motorists to celebrate safely and make smart driving decisions. There will be increased enforcement and additional messaging about the dangers of driving impaired on the roads.

“The aim is to drastically reduce deaths and serious injuries caused by impaired driving,” said Michael L. Prince, Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP) Director, in a press release. “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.”

In the state of Michigan, it is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher, but Michigan has what is commonly referred to as a zero-tolerance drugged driving law. This means that motorists can be arrested at any BAC level if an officer believes that they are impaired.

“Officers are going to be out looking for signs of individuals who may have been driving after having too much to drink and if we find individuals who have been violating the law, we will take appropriate action,” said Lt. Rick Grillo from the Meridian Township Police Department. “We strongly encourage everyone to be safe on the roadways and if they’ve had too much to drink that they find another method of getting home besides driving themselves.”

During last year’s Labor Day holiday, there were 10 fatalities, with three fatalities involving alcohol.

If anybody has any concerns or has witnessed anybody that’s driving under the influence you should call 911 or the Meridian Township Police/Fire Non-Emergency number at 517-332-6526, said Grillo.