DATE: Thursday, August 07, 2014
SUBJECT: Upcoming “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” Enforcement
RELEASE NUMBER: 2014-NR-070
CONTACT: Lt. Noah Robinson
AUTHORITY: Sheriff Dave Wedding

The Evansville-Vanderburgh County Traffic Safety Partnership will be out in force this month as part of the annual nationwide “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” drunk driving enforcement campaign. Indiana’s high-visibility enforcement effort, also known as Operation Pull Over Blitz 80, will run from August 08 through September 1, 2014.

This drunk driving enforcement campaign will consist of saturation patrols and DUI checkpoints as part of a comprehensive effort to curb drunk driving in August and through the Labor Day holiday weekend. A total of two Sobriety Checkpoints will be conducted during two weekends in August. Checkpoints will be active between 11:00pm to 4:00am.

In 2013, there were 114 fatal alcohol-impaired traffic crashes in Indiana. In Vanderburgh County alone, there were 173 collisions that involved a driver under the influence of alcohol. 130 of those drivers had a BAC above .08 (the legal limit).

Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Deputies, Evansville Police Officers and Indiana State Police Troopers will be aggressively looking for drunk drivers and will arrest anyone caught driving impaired. Research has shown that high-visibility enforcement like the ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ campaign reduces drunk driving fatalities by as much as 20 percent.

Sheriff Dave Wedding added, “Our participation in this nationwide effort will help make Vanderburgh County roadways safer for everyone this Labor Day. If you have any doubt about your sobriety, please do not get behind the wheel.”

On this Labor Day if you do choose to drive impaired, you will be arrested. No warnings. No excuses.

Funding for local impaired driving enforcement is provided by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI) through a grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Earlier: Press Release Number 2014-NR-069

Pictured above (left to right): Lt. Noah Robinson (VCSO), Sgt. Todd Ringle (ISP), Asst. Chief Chris Pugh (EPD), Sheriff Dave Wedding (VCSO), Sgt. Scott Hurt (EPD), Lt. Wayne Wargel (EPD), Mr. Mark Hartman (ICJI)

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