The Berrien County Sheriff’s Department is conducting extra patrols for the rest of the month as part of the statewide Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign. Sheriff Paul Bailey says the department wants to keep the community safe by protecting it from impaired drivers, whatever the substance they’ve been using. Sheriff’s deputies and officers from local police departments will be looking for drivers under the influence of drugs and alcohol throughout the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement period. In Michigan, it’s illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher, although drivers can be arrested at any BAC level if an officer believes they are impaired. The campaign continues through September 5 to cover Labor Day weekend. In 2021, Michigan had 9,557 alcohol-involved crashes with 357 fatalities. It also had just under 3,000 drug-related crashes. Sheriff Paul urges everyone who’s going to be drinking to arrange for a ride.
