From now through Sept. 2, which includes the Labor Day holiday weekend, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for Region 7, which includes Missouri, will be working alongside local law enforcement for the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over high-visibility enforcement campaign.

The goal is to deter impaired driving, arrest impaired drivers and prevent deaths, according to the department.

“We want our community members to understand that it’s our first priority to keep people safe, so we’re asking everyone to plan for a sober ride if they know they’ll be out drinking,” said NHTSA Regional Administrator Susan DeCourcy. “The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign is an awareness effort to help drivers understand that impaired driving is illegal, and it takes lives. This partnership between law enforcement and drivers has an important purpose: Helping us protect the community and putting an end to this senseless behavior.”

The Labor Day holiday is a busy boating weekend. In Missouri in 2023, there were 12 boating crashes with three injuries. Highway patrol troopers arrested 10 people on boating-while-intoxicated allegations during last year’s counting period.

Last year, 15 people died and 477 were injured in 1,058 traffic crashes over the Labor Day holiday counting period. Troopers arrested 125 people on driving-while-intoxicated allegations during last year’s holiday weekend.

To help keep waterways and roads safe, the highway patrol will be participating in Operation Crash Awareness & Reduction Effort over the Labor Day holiday weekend. During the effort, troopers on the roadways will be enforcing Missouri’s speed limit, seat belt and impaired- driving laws.