Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over

Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Ohio Law Enforcement Working Together Ahead of Labor Day Holiday to Reduce Drunk Driving

(COLUMBUS, Ohio) —As the end of summertime and the busy Labor Day weekend approaches, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Ohio Traffic Safety Office (OTSO) are working alongside law enforcement in all 88 Ohio counties to decrease impaired driving. From Aug. 19 through Sept. 5, Ohioans will see an increase in DUI enforcement during the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement period.

Ohio law enforcement takes drinking and driving seriously because the consequences can be deadly:

• In 2021, 12 people in Ohio died in motor vehicle crashes over the four-day Labor Day holiday period.

• 25% of those fatalities involved an alcohol-impaired driver.

• With many Labor Day festivities wrapping up late in the evening, nighttime hours are especially dangerous. Last year, 5% of Ohio’s alcohol-related crashes over the Labor Day holiday weekend occurred between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m.

“We’re asking everyone to plan ahead if they know they’ll be out drinking,” said Ohio Department of Public Safety Director Tom Stickrath, who serves as the chair of the Ohio Traffic Safety Council. “Drunk driving is not only illegal, but it is also a matter of life and death. It’s important that our drivers partner with law enforcement to protect everyone on our roads this Labor Day and every day.”

Even if you plan on having only one alcoholic beverage, the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP) recommends celebrating the holiday with a safety plan in place:

• Designate a sober driver or plan to use public transportation or a ride service to get home safely. It could save you $10,000 on a DUI in bail, court costs, legal fees, fines, and other related expenses.

• If you see a drunk driver on the road, report them to OSHP by calling #677 or contact your local law enforcement agency by calling 911.

• Wear your seatbelt at all times. It is your best line of protection against drunk drivers.

Enforcement Activity In Your Area

Police officers, sheriff’s deputies and OSHP troopers will be highly visible and cracking down on impaired drivers in Steubenville through the use of zero-tolerance enforcement, sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols. Research shows that high-visibility enforcement can reduce impaired driving fatalities by as much as 20%. Media interested in scheduling an interview or ride-along should contact:

Ohio State Highway Patrol – Sgt. Brice Nihiser

614-752-2792

banihiser@dps.ohio.gov

OTSO’s mission is to save lives and reduce injuries on Ohio’s roads through leadership and partnering efforts with others interested in traffic safety, utilizing the most innovative and efficient methods possible of managing state and federal resources. Last year, OTSO awarded over $31 million in grants to be used for projects such as traffic safety education, enforcement and engineering.

For more information on impaired driving, visit www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving.