DRUNK DRIVING THE FOCUS OF

LAW ENFORCEMENT CAMPAIGN OVER LABOR DAY HOLIDAY

The Midland Police Department, in partnership with the Midland County Sheriff's Office and nearly 500 other law enforcement agencies throughout Michigan, will conduct a drunk driving mobilization campaign over the Labor Day holiday.

As a part of the 2005 Summer Enforcement mobilization effort to make roadways safer, law enforcement in Midland County will have extra patrols on duty between August 19 and September 5. These extra patrols are funded by grants from the Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP) for a statewide drunk driving campaign entitled You Drink & Drive. You Lose.

In Michigan, a motorist can be arrested for drunk driving with a .08 blood alcohol content or higher. A drunk driving conviction carries with it various penalties, including court costs and fines, increased car insurance rates, legal fees and $2,000 in driver responsibility program fees.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), about three in every 10 Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash at some point in their lives. Crashes involving drinking tend to be more serious than non-drinking crashes. In Michigan, 36 percent of traffic fatalities involve alcohol and/or drugs. In 2004 alone, alcohol and/or drugs played a role in 418 traffic deaths in Michigan. Four of those deaths occurred during the Labor Day weekend.

For more information about the You Drink & Drive. You Lose. campaign or other police department traffic safety initiatives, contact the department at 989-631-5716.