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The end of summer is traditionally marked by the Labor Day holiday, and is celebrated through picnics, pool parties and barbecues with family and friends.
Sadly, the Labor Day holiday is also one of the deadliest, with drunk drivers endangering themselves and others on America’s roadways, highway officials say.
Area law enforcement are partnering with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration through the high-visibility national enforcement campaign, Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over, that runs through Labor Day, Sept. 4.
“Drunk driving is not an acceptable behavior. It is essential to plan a sober ride home before you ever leave for any gathering where you plan to drink,” Russells Point Police Chief Joe Freyhof and Washington Township Police Chief Rick Core said in a joint campaign press release.
“That’s why, during the Labor Day holiday, we will make zero exceptions for drunk driving. There are just no excuses.”
Troopers of the Ohio State Highway Patrol will be participating in the campaign as well, both locally and around the state.
“Removing impaired drivers from our roadways is always a primary focus,” Patrol Superintendent Colonel Paul A. Pride said. “We take impaired driving seriously and we are dedicated to protecting and serving the motorists on Ohio’s roadways.”
During the 2016 Labor Day holiday weekend, troopers report that there were 15 fatal crashes that killed 15 people. Four of those fatalities were OVI-related and five fatalities resulted from not using safety belts. OSHP also made 749 OVI arrests during the long weekend.
According to AAA, approximately 85 percent of all travelers drive to their destinations in celebration of Labor Day. This can lead to congested roadways; to combat congestion: plan ahead, allow extra time, follow traffic laws, share the road with other motorists and always wear a safety belt.
The 2017 Labor Day weekend reporting period began at midnight today and ends at 11:59 a.m. Monday, Sept. 4. The state patrol will be reporting statewide, provisional fatalities each morning on Facebook, Twitter and statepatrol.ohio.gov.
To avoid being part of similar statistics, officers encourage drivers to designate a sober driver for a safe ride home and to download the NHTSA SaferRide app, which is available for Android and Apple devices. SaferRide allows users to call a taxi or a predetermined friend, and identifies the user’s location so they can be picked up.
Motorists are encouraged to dial #677 to report impaired drivers and drug activity to troopers, or call 911.