FORT WAYNE — The Indiana State Police in Fort Wayne announced today its participation in the national and statewide 2015 Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement mobilization occurring Aug. 19 through Sept. 7. Officers will join more than 250 state and local law enforcement agencies and thousands more across the country, to conduct high-visibility patrols encouraging drivers against drinking and driving.

“This campaign provides us another opportunity to educate and enforce messages that save the lives of Indiana drivers and passengers,” said Lt. Tony Casto, Fort Wayne District Commander. “Driving intoxicated is not only illegal, it’s unsafe and unwise. We will be out in full patrol and if you do drink and drive, you will be caught.”

Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over is an annual enforcement effort supported by federal funding allocated to the Indiana State Police from the Traffic Safety division of the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute. Troopers will work overtime to conduct sobriety patrols and checkpoints around the clock. According to ICJI, in 2014, there were 94 fatal alcohol-impaired collisions in Indiana. While this accounted for 13 percent of all fatal crashes, there was a 17 percent decrease in fatal alcohol collisions between 2013 and 2014.

“The decrease in the number of fatal alcohol collisions in Indiana is a clear indication citizens are realizing drinking and driving don’t mix,” said ICJI Director Dave Murtaugh. “Through the hard work and dedication of all of Indiana’s law enforcement agencies, we continue to work toward our goal of zero intoxicated drivers on our roadways.”

Indiana law enforcement agencies have been actively involved in the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign for over 20 years.

For more information regarding the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement mobilization campaign, please visit http://www.nhtsa.gov/drivesober/. To learn more about the Indiana State Police, please visit http://www.in.gov/isp/.