Basketball season is heating up, and area police are beginning a new season of high-visibility enforcement on aggressive and impaired driving.
Beginning Friday, Feb., 28, and running through March 23, officers will deploy a crackdown on dangerous and impaired driving known as “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.” The 24-day blitz will occur during a number of March sporting events and the St. Patrick’s Day holiday.
Officers from the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office, Michigan City Police Department, LaPorte Police Department and Trail Creek Police Department will participate. An increased number of officers will be looking for impaired drivers.
“This enforcement effort is designed to show a strong, visible police presence aimed at stopping dangerous behavior and getting drunk drivers off the road,” said Captain Jon Keene, Operation Pull Over coordinator for the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office.
For many Hoosiers, the month of March is synonymous with celebrating Indiana basketball traditions and the St. Patrick’s Day holiday. But because of the increased rate of alcohol consumption associated with these events, the potential for tragedy increases. During March 2012, over 500 alcohol-related crashes occurred in Indiana; six people died. There were 33 alcohol-related crashes on St. Patrick’s Day alone.
These statistics demand attention. If you attend an event and plan on drinking, don’t drive. Plan in advance; have a designated driver.
Officers will conduct saturation patrols and other crackdown methods.
You can follow the LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office on Facebook for traffic safety news and event information.
Operation Pull Over is a federally funded enforcement initiative administered by the Traffic Safety division of the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI).