Ann Arbor-area drivers will see more law enforcement on the road through Labor Day as Michigan State Police and local agencies conduct the statewide "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" campaign, which began Friday, Aug. 14, and runs through Monday, Sept. 7.

The campaign targets impairment by alcohol, marijuana, prescription medications and other drugs. It includes increased patrols and a paid media push, according to the Chelsea Post, which first reported the campaign details.

Over the past five years, 46 drivers were killed in Labor Day weekend crashes in Michigan, and 39.1% of them were alcohol- or drug-impaired, according to the MSP Criminal Justice Information Center.

Michigan recorded 1,002 fatal crashes in 2025. Of those, 248 involved alcohol and 195 involved drugs. The number of people killed in alcohol-involved crashes dropped 14%, from 307 in 2024 to 264 in 2025. Drug-involved fatalities fell 23%, from 272 to 210.

Alicia Sledge, director of the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning, said the declining numbers show that enforcement and outreach under the state's SAFER by 2030 initiative are working, but cautioned that impaired driving remains a serious problem. The initiative aims to cut Michigan traffic deaths 30% by the end of the decade.

What officers are watching for

Michigan State Police Lt. Kim Vetter said officers will look for drivers varying their speed, weaving within their lane or touching rumble strips. She noted the late-summer period poses heightened risk because more people are celebrating and moving around outside their normal routines.

"We all know that one bad weekend full of crashes can change those stats very quickly," Vetter said in an interview with Mid-Michigan Now.

In Michigan, driving with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher is illegal. But officers can arrest a driver at any BAC level if they believe the driver is impaired.

How to report

The campaign is administered by the Office of Highway Safety Planning with federal funding from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

To report a suspected impaired driver, call 911. For non-emergency tips, Ann Arbor residents can call the Ann Arbor Police Department tip line at 734-794-6939 or email [email protected].