The Delaware Office of Highway Safety is joining state and local law enforcement on another to increase high-visibility impaired driving campaign.
This effort is part of the national “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign that started last weekend and continues through September 8.
During this period, motorists will see an increased law enforcement presence on the roads as officers try to identify and remove impaired drivers.
But Office of Highway Safety Community Relations Officer Caitlin Reed says that’s not the only objective.
"Our goal isn't simply to avoid getting a DUI, our goal is to prevent someone from being seriously injured or killed in an impaired driving crash,” said Reed. “So, we're always encouraging people to designate a sober driver, using the rideshare service or a taxi, and just making sure you and anyone you're with or around, are getting home safely."
The campaign features both education and enforcement to keep roads safe during the busy Labor Day travel period.
Reed says this isn’t just about drinking and driving.
"Impairment isn't just about alcohol. So cannabis, prescription medications and other drugs can affect your judgment, coordination and reaction time. So if something impairs your ability to drive safely, we ask that you don't get behind the wheel," said Reed.
OHS notes nearly one in three fatal crashes in Delaware from 2021 through 2025 involved impairment, and in that same period there were 91 impairment-related crashes over Labor Day weekend.
