The end of summer traditionally is marked by the Labor Day holiday and is a time for friends and families to enjoy backyard barbecues and other activities. Sadly, the Labor Day holiday weekend also is among the deadliest times of the year in terms of impaired-driving fatalities, according to highway statistics.

That is why law enforcement officers from police departments, sheriff’s offices and the Michigan State Police are partnering with the Office of Highway Safety Planning to get drunk and drugged drivers off the roads during the enforcement campaigns “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” and “If You Feel Different, You Drive Different. Drive High, Get a DUI,” which will run starting this week through Sept. 6.

During this period, increased state and national messages about the dangers of driving impaired, coupled with extra enforcement and increased officers on the roadway, aim to drastically 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. “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.”

Over the 2020 Labor Day holiday period, Michigan had 1,833 crashes, 15 of them resulting in 15 fatalities. Of those 15 fatal crashes, eight — or 53.3% — involved alcohol and/or drugs.

In Michigan, it is illegal to drive with a blood-alcohol concentration of .08 or higher, although motorists can be arrested at any BAC level if an officer believes they are impaired. Motorists face enhanced penalties if arrested for a first-time drunk driving offense with a .17 BAC or higher. Anyone who refuses a breath test for the first time is given a one-year driver’s license suspension. For a second refusal within seven years, it is a two-year suspension.

According to the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, in 2020, a total of 161 alcohol-impaired drivers involved in crashes in Michigan were killed, with 63 of those drivers, or 39.1%, not wearing seat belts.

Last year, nearly 42% of fatalities on Michigan roadways involved alcohol and/or drugs.

During last year’s August enforcement campaign, officers arrested 181 drivers for operating while intoxicated, or OWI; and 35 for operating under the influence of drugs, or OUID; for a total of 216 alcohol- and drug-related arrests.

The impaired-driving campaigns are supported with federal traffic safety funds provided by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and coordinated by the OHSP.

In Wisconsin, the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign began Wednesday and extends through Labor Day on Sept. 6. The Wisconsin State Patrol’s goal is not just to make arrests but to avoid injuries and deaths.

Alcohol contributed to more than a quarter of all 2020 traffic fatalities in Wisconsin. Drug-impaired drivers accounted for 2,250 crashes that caused 80 deaths, up from 1,749 crashes and 59 deaths in 2019.

“Our daily mission is to protect travelers on our highways and eliminate the risks of impaired driving, but safety is everyone’s responsibility,” WSP Superintendent Anthony Burrell said. “We’re asking drivers to choose safety as the summer travel season wraps up. Together we can save lives.”

Resources are available to help eliminate impaired driving. The “Drive Sober” mobile app is free to download to help drivers make a plan. The app includes a “find a ride” feature to help locate mass transit and taxi services.

Additional information and resources are on the WisDOT website.