Sheriff’s department focusing on drunken driving

St. Joseph County Sheriff’s Department is participating in a two-week program targeting drunken driving.

Undersheriff Jason Bingaman said the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is rolling out its “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign.

The initiative starts Aug. 16 and runs through Sept. 2.

Specially assigned deputies will be on the lookout for motorists under the influence of drugs and alcohol throughout the enforcement period. In 2021, nearly 47 percent of fatalities on Michigan roadways involved alcohol and/or drugs, according to the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute.

The campaign is supported with federal traffic safety funds provided by the United States Department of Transportation.