The latest edition of the nationwide Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over anti-drunk driving campaign began Friday and runs through Labor Day, which this year isn’t until Sept 7.
Drive Sober includes a strong media campaign against impaired driving, high-profile special enforcement efforts, and more officers than normal on the roads much of the 2-plus week period.
Dozens of law enforcement agencies across Nebraska, including the State Patrol, have received grants from the Neb Dept of Transportation Highway Safety Office to cover the overtime costs of putting more officers out on patrol.
“Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” also marks the end of the State Patrol’s “100 Days of Summer” initiative, which runs from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend every year. This year, troopers have arrested nearly 250 motorists for driving under the influence during the 100 Days.
State Patrol Supt Colonel John Bolduc says traffic has returned to normal levels over the past 2 months after 3 months of next to no driving because of the coronavirus pandemic, but that accidents and fatalities have also risen sharply.
Bolduc says with the summer vacation season winding down and schools starting up, he hopes drivers will work with law enforcement agencies to keep Nebraska’s roads safe.