During the Labor Day holiday period, including the end of summertime and the busy holiday weekend, the law enforcement community in Marshall County will work to decrease impaired driving. From August 18 through September 5, the Marshall County Traffic Safety Partnership will be participating in the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over high-visibility enforcement period.
The extra high-visibility enforcement is funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) through the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI).
In support of the law enforcement community’s dedication to protecting the lives of residents in their communities, officers will be working together during this time to take drivers under the influence of drugs or alcohol off the roads. No matter what the plans are to celebrate the end of summer this year, make sure plans are made to do it safely.
About 37 people die in the U.S. in drunk driving crashes every day. That’s approximately one person every 39 minutes and more than 13,384 annually, according to NHTSA.
Of the 949 traffic fatalities that occurred last year in Indiana, 110, or 12 percent, were alcohol-related. While that is a decline from 115 in 2021, there is still a long way to go.
This is why the Marshall County Traffic Safety Partnership is working together with NHTSA to remind drivers that drunk driving is not only illegal; it’s a matter of life and death.
In Indiana, it is illegal to drive with a BAC of .08 or higher. In addition, drivers under 21 with a BAC of .02 or higher are subject to fines and a license suspension for up to one year.
Impaired driving includes more than just alcohol. Drugs and even some over-the-counter medications can also cause impairment and can slow coordination, judgment, and reaction times on the road.
Officers will be on the lookout for all forms of impairment, and the consequences can include thousands of dollars in legal fees, increased insurance rates, loss of license, a criminal record, and possible jail time.
There are plenty of options to help impaired drivers get home safely, such as designating a sober driver or calling a taxi or rideshare. Motorists that encounter a drunk driver on the road are encouraged to call 911.
