Local law enforcement will be stepping up patrols between now and Labor Day. It’s part of the annual nationwide Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign.
The Culver and LaPorte police departments will be among roughly 230 in the state conducting overtime patrols, with funding from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration distributed by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute. During the enforcement effort, drivers can expect to see more sobriety checkpoints, roving patrols, and saturation patrols, according to a press release.
In Indiana, police officers also have some new tools to help them fight impaired driving. More than 2,600 portable breath tests were distributed to 150 law enforcement agencies. While there’s no quick way to test for many other types of drugs, officers trained to recognized drug-impaired driving were given Android tablets to help with the documentation process.
Police urge Hoosiers to avoid drunk driving by designating a sober driver, celebrating at home or someplace you can stay, or taking the keys from friends or family members who are about to drive while impaired. Police say that if you come across an impaired driver, turn off the road and call 911.
This year’s Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign gets underway in mid-August.
