Michigan State Police Holiday Enforcement Efforts Highlight Operation C.A.R.E. and Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over

Contact: Sgt. Jill Bennett, MSP, Traffic Services Section, (517) 636-0087
Agency: State Police

Lansing.  During this Labor Day holiday weekend, the Michigan State Police (MSP) is reminding motorists to make safety a priority during their holiday travel. Again this year, MSP troopers will join their counterparts from across the country in the international traffic safety initiative, Operation C.A.R.E. (Combined Accident Reduction Effort).

"As part of Operation C.A.R.E. and the statewide Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over drunk driving enforcement campaign, troopers will take a zero-tolerance approach to drivers who are operating under the influence of alcohol and drugs," stated Col. Kriste Kibbey Etue, director of the MSP. "In addition to looking for impaired drivers, troopers will also pay special attention to safety belt and child restraint violations and to those who are driving in a reckless and unsafe manner."

The official Labor Day weekend begins at 6 p.m., on Friday, Aug. 30, and ends at 11:59 p.m. on Monday, September 2, 2013. Last year, eight traffic crashes resulted in eight deaths over the Labor Day weekend. Of those who died, four were not wearing safety belts.

Operation C.A.R.E. was formed to deter three causes of highway fatalities: aggressive driving, impaired driving and failure to use occupant restraints.

Operation C.A.R.E. began in 1977 as a collaborative effort between the MSP and the Indiana State Police and is one of the nation's longest-running traffic safety initiatives. Today, it includes state police and highway patrol agencies from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Ontario Provincial Police, Quebec Police Force and the U.S. Virgin Islands.