Local, state agencies taking part in sober driving efforts

Indiana State Police troopers, Columbus police and Bartholomew County deputies will be joining with about 200 other law enforcement agencies across the state for this year’s Drive Sober of Get Pulled Over impaired driving blitz.

Through Labor Day, agencies will be conducing overtime patrols looking for impaired drivers and showing zero tolerance for anyone found drinking and driving.

Funding for the patrol blitz comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and is administered by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute.

According to the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute, in 2018 there were more than 4,000 alcohol-impaired crashes Indiana, with 83 fatalities. 48 of those collisions and one fatality happened over Labor Day weekend.

In Indiana, it is illegal to drive with a blood-alcohol concentration of .08 or higher. Drivers under the age of 21 with a BAC of .02 or higher face fines and having their license suspended for up to one year.

Motorists that encounter a suspected drunk driver on the road are encouraged to call 911.