September 1, 2011 - Extra officers continue drunk driving enforcement through Sept. 5

Contact: Lynn Sutfin, OHSP (517) 241-1513

Agency: State Police

Don't let your summer fun end with a drunk driving arrest. Be sure to designate a sober driver, take a cab or bus home, or just plan on staying the night this holiday weekend as extra officers will be out specifically looking for drunk drivers.

Stepped up drunk driving patrols began Aug. 19 and will continue through the weekend in 35 Michigan counties. The federally funded patrols are part of the Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest. crackdown.

"More people died in alcohol-involved crashes in August than in any other month in 2010," said Michael L. Prince, director of the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning. "And 10 people died crashes involving alcohol during last year's Labor Day holiday weekend. Enforcement efforts like the Over the Limit. Under Arrest. crackdown help ensure the safety of all roadway users. Motorists need to be aware that if they are caught driving drunk they will be arrested."

In 2010, law enforcement officers across the state arrested more than 500 people for alcohol-related offenses during a drunk driving crackdown in late August and early September.

While the number of alcohol-involved fatalities has continued to decline, crashes involving alcohol are eight times more likely to be fatal than those not involving alcohol. Last year, 357 people were killed in impaired driving crashes.

Grant-funded counties include Allegan, Barry, Bay, Berrien, Calhoun, Cass, Chippewa, Clinton, Eaton, Genesee, Grand Traverse, Houghton, Ingham, Ionia, Isabella, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Kent, Lenawee, Livingston, Macomb, Marquette, Monroe, Montcalm, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oakland, Ottawa, Saginaw, St. Clair, Tuscola, Van Buren, Washtenaw, Wayne and Wexford.

For a listing of planned enforcement times, dates and locations, visit www.michigan.gov/ohsp.