INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. (WOWO) — Indiana law enforcement agencies are increasing patrols and conducting sobriety checkpoints through Labor Day as part of a statewide effort to keep impaired drivers off the road.
The Indiana Criminal Justice Institute says officers will work overtime through September 7 as part of the national “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign. The effort involves Indiana State Police and local departments and is supported by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The enforcement effort is targeting drivers impaired by both alcohol and drugs.
Preliminary 2025 data from the federal Fatality Analysis Reporting System shows nearly 23% of Indiana traffic fatalities involved alcohol, while more than 41% involved drug impairment, according to ICJI.
Indiana law prohibits driving with a blood-alcohol concentration of .08 or higher. But state officials emphasize that a driver can be arrested at a lower BAC if an officer determines the person is impaired.
Indiana State Police Superintendent Anthony Scott says troopers will be working with law enforcement agencies statewide to enforce impaired-driving laws during the Labor Day period.
Scott says drunk driving kills 32 people every day in the United States and that every one of those deaths is preventable. He is urging anyone who plans to drink to arrange a sober ride, including through a rideshare service, public transportation or a designated driver.
The additional enforcement is being funded through ICJI’s Comprehensive Highway Injury Reduction Program, or CHIRP, which provides federal funding for traffic-safety enforcement. ICJI says participating agencies use overtime patrols, saturation patrols, multi-jurisdictional operations and sobriety checkpoints to identify impaired drivers.
ICJI Executive Director Douglas Huntsinger says impaired driving remains one of the most serious threats on Indiana roads and that the campaign is intended to reinforce the message that impaired driving is preventable.
There is also a financial incentive for Hoosiers to leave their vehicles behind if they have been drinking.
ICJI’s Project Plan Ahead is offering $10 ride credits for Uber and Lyft every weekend through September 27.
The credits are available from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. Friday through Sunday and can be used for rides that begin or end in Indianapolis or Fort Wayne. Up to 1,000 credits are available each weekend.
The program is particularly relevant to Fort Wayne-area residents because Fort Wayne is one of the two Indiana cities included in the ride-credit program.
People seeking a credit can go to IN.ProjectPlanAhead.com and select the “Redeem Ride Credits” option, then follow the instructions for either Uber or Lyft.
The $10 credit does not include a tip, and riders are responsible for any amount above the $10 discount. Credits cannot be guaranteed, are available only while supplies last and cannot be used to schedule a pickup in advance, according to the program’s terms.
Labor Day falls on Monday, September 7, 2026, meaning the expanded enforcement period runs through the holiday itself.
State officials are encouraging drivers to plan their transportation before drinking rather than making the decision after alcohol or drugs have impaired their judgment.
The message from law enforcement is straightforward: if you’re impaired, don’t drive — because increased patrols and enforcement will be on Indiana roads through the Labor Day holiday.
