Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Campaign Underway in Oklahoma

Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Campaign Underway Ahead of Labor Day

Labor Day weekend means lake trips, cookouts and college football across Oklahoma, but law enforcement agencies are reminding drivers that the end-of-summer celebration can quickly turn deadly when alcohol or drugs are combined with driving.

The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign is underway across Oklahoma, with additional patrols and enforcement planned through the holiday weekend as officers work to keep impaired drivers off the state's roads.

Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign targets impaired driving

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Oklahoma Highway Safety Office and law enforcement agencies across the state are participating in the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign, which runs from August 19 through September 7.

The message from officers is simple: make a plan before the celebration begins.

“Whatever you’re doing, whatever good time you’re trying to go have, just be safe about it and make a plan,” Oklahoma Highway Patrol Trooper Chad Pape said.

That could mean choosing a designated driver, using a rideshare service or arranging another way home before drinking begins.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, alcohol impairs several abilities needed to safely operate a vehicle, including judgment, coordination and reaction time.

“It impacts your judgment, and it can cause you to make bad decisions,” Pape said.

The increased enforcement effort includes DUI saturation patrols and checkpoints as agencies prepare for one of the final major travel weekends of the summer.

Oklahoma Labor Day crashes have turned deadly

The warning comes after a deadly Labor Day weekend on Oklahoma roads in 2024.

Seven people were killed in crashes across the state during the holiday period, and five of those deaths involved drugs or alcohol.

Those numbers are why Oklahoma law enforcement agencies are urging people to make transportation arrangements before they start drinking rather than waiting until the end of the night.

The Oklahoma Highway Safety Office works with law enforcement agencies and community organizations throughout the state on impaired-driving prevention and other traffic safety initiatives.

Pape said handing over the keys early can eliminate the temptation to drive later.

“That way at the end of the night when you might have had a little too much to drink, and your judgment’s a little clouded, you’re not making poor decisions then and there,” Pape said.

Friends and family members can also play a role by watching for someone who may be preparing to drive after drinking and helping that person find another way home.

Extra DUI enforcement continues through September 7

For Oklahoma drivers, the increased enforcement means motorists should expect to see additional officers looking specifically for signs of impaired driving through Labor Day weekend.

The national campaign is coordinated around one basic goal: preventing impaired-driving crashes before they happen.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol is responsible for traffic enforcement and crash response across Oklahoma highways, putting troopers on the front lines when holiday travel increases.

But law enforcement officials emphasize that avoiding an impaired-driving crash doesn't begin when someone sees flashing lights in the rearview mirror.

It begins before the first drink.

Designating a sober driver, using a rideshare service or simply staying where you are can prevent a decision that could have consequences lasting far beyond Labor Day weekend.

“This one night of bad decisions can affect your life and several other people’s lives for years and years to come,” Pape said.

With Oklahomans preparing for football games, lake trips, cookouts and other Labor Day celebrations, authorities are asking everyone to enjoy the holiday — but never get behind the wheel impaired.

The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement campaign continues through September 7.

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