Delaware County kicks off Drive Sober

The SAFE Delaware County Coalition is starting its annual impaired-driving campaign this week with a public kickoff in downtown Delaware and a countywide enforcement push later in August. The coalition said the kickoff will take place on Friday, August 7, during Main Street Delaware’s First Friday “Safety on Sandusky” event. From August 19 through September 7, law-enforcement agencies across Delaware County will take part in the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” high-visibility enforcement campaign. ### When does the campaign actually begin? Friday, August 7, is the date SAFE Delaware County Coalition set for its public kickoff. The event is scheduled for 7 p.m. during Main Street Delaware’s First Friday program, according to the Delaware Public Health District. August 19 is when the enforcement phase begins. The campaign will run through September 7, covering the Labor Day holiday weekend, the health district said. (delawarehealth.org) ### Who is running it in Delaware County? The SAFE Delaware County Coalition is organizing the local campaign, and the Delaware Public Health District published the announcement. (delawarehealth.org) The coalition described the effort as its annual “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign kickoff. The Ohio State Highway Patrol and other Delaware County law-enforcement agencies are expected to be the most visible public-facing participants once enforcement begins. (delawarehealth.org) The health district said patrols will be “highly visible” on Ohio roadways during the campaign window. ### What will drivers see once enforcement starts? (delawarehealth.org) August 19 through September 7 is the period when motorists should expect stepped-up impaired-driving enforcement. The local notice does not spell out each tactic, but it says agencies across Delaware County will participate in a “high-visibility enforcement campaign.” (delawarehealth.org) The national “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign is built around increased law enforcement during the late-August and Labor Day period. The federal Traffic Safety Marketing site lists the 2026 enforcement dates as August 19 through September 7 and says the campaign focuses on the consequences of drunk driving. (delawarehealth.org) ### What message are officials trying to send before Labor Day? The Delaware Public Health District said the campaign is meant to deter impaired driving and remind motorists to plan ahead, drive responsibly and keep county roads safe. The notice also invited residents and media members to attend the kickoff and learn more about making “safe, responsible choices” while traveling. (trafficsafetymarketing.gov) Federal campaign materials frame the Labor Day push in similar terms. The Traffic Safety Marketing site says the campaign urges people to arrange a sober ride home and warns that law enforcement will be looking for impaired drivers during the holiday period. ### Why is Labor Day part of the timing? (delawarehealth.org) Labor Day weekend is one of the standard periods for the national campaign. The federal site lists not only the August 19 to September 7 enforcement dates but also related paid-media and earned-media windows that stretch across late summer. (trafficsafetymarketing.gov) The same federal page says 170 people, or 34%, of the 505 traffic fatalities recorded during the 2024 Labor Day holiday period involved at least one alcohol-impaired driver with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08 or above. Among drivers ages 18 to 34 who were killed in crashes over that holiday, 40% were drunk, the site said. (trafficsafetymarketing.gov) ### Where can residents see the campaign first? Main Street Delaware’s First Friday event in downtown Delaware is where the public campaign will first be visible locally. The August 7 kickoff is tied to the “Safety on Sandusky” theme, and SAFE partners said residents can join them there to learn about the program. September 7 is the date the current enforcement window is scheduled to end. (trafficsafetymarketing.gov) Until then, the Ohio State Highway Patrol and other Delaware County agencies are expected to remain active participants in the county’s Labor Day impaired-driving campaign. (delawarehealth.org)