Ohio’s “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign is part of a federally coordinated high-visibility enforcement program aimed at curbing Operating a Vehicle Impaired (OVI) offenses.
Origins and National Alignment
In the late 1990s and early 2000s, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) launched national anti-impaired driving slogans like “You Drink & Drive. You Lose.” In 2007, NHTSA officially rebranded its primary impaired-driving campaign to “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” to emphasize strict legal consequences alongside public safety awareness. Ohio, through the Ohio Department of Public Safety (ODPS) and the Ohio State Highway Patrol (OSHP), fully adopted the campaign as its cornerstone OVI initiative.
How the Campaign Works in Ohio
Ohio executes the campaign primarily through targeted, high-visibility enforcement periods tied to high-risk travel holidays—most notably Labor Day weekend (mid-August through early September) and the Winter Holiday season (mid-December through New Year’s Day).
Key elements of the campaign in Ohio include:
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High-Visibility Patrols: OSHP pairs with local police departments and county sheriff’s offices to deploy extra OVI checkpoints and saturation patrols.
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Public Education & Media: The state runs targeted TV, radio, and digital ads emphasizing zero tolerance for drunk or drug-impaired driving.
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Community Coalitions: Local health departments and county “Safe Communities” coalitions host events featuring interactive tools like “Fatal Vision” impairment goggles to educate young drivers.
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Hotline Reporting: The campaign actively promotes Ohio’s #677 emergency hotline, encouraging motorists to directly report suspected impaired drivers to the highway patrol.
Impact
By combining strict enforcement with public education, the initiative has helped reduce alcohol-related traffic crashes across Ohio. It remains a core pillar of Ohio’s goal to achieve zero preventable traffic fatalities.
Learn more about the campaign and more at https://www.nhtsa.gov/campaign/drive-sober-or-get-pulled-over
