Arkansas law enforcement set for ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ push

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Officials with the Arkansas State Police said the agency is working alongside local law enforcement and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to kick off a “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign.

Officials said the high-visibility enforcement campaign will run from Aug. 15 to Sept. 1. The goal is to deter impaired driving and prevent tragedies seen on previous Labor Day holiday periods, they said.

During the 2023 Labor Day holiday, beginning at 6 p.m. on Sept. 1 to 5:59 a.m. on Sept. 5, officials said 511 traffic fatalities occurred nationwide. Of these 511 fatalities, 36%, or 185, involved a drunk driver. During this same period in Arkansas, there were 12 traffic fatalities and of these, 30%, or 4, were impaired drivers with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 or higher.

According to the NHTSA,  a BAC of .08 or higher is considered drunk driving in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, except in Utah, where the BAC limit is 0.05.

“We want Arkansas motorists to understand that it’s our first priority to keep people safe, so we’re asking everyone to plan ahead if they know they’ll be out drinking,” said Arkansas Public Safety Secretary Col. Mike Hagar. “The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign is an awareness and enforcement effort to get the message out that drunk driving is illegal and it kills.

More information on the Arkansas Toward Zero Deaths highway safety campaign is available at TZDAarkansas.org.