The Lake County Safe Communities Coalition will kick off its annual Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign kickoff on Saturday August 8, 2026 at 10:30 a.m. at the Mentor Cruise-In located at the Mentor Civic Center Complex, 8500 Civic Center Boulevard in Mentor. This event seeks to remind drivers of the dangers of impaired driving and supports the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement campaign running August 19th through September 9th 2026.
Guests will have the opportunity to use impaired driving goggles to experience what is like to be under the influence, take a pledge to always drive sober, and participate in traffic safety trivia. At 10:30 a.m. Trooper Harrison of the Ohio State Highway Patrol and other law enforcement members of the Coalition will address the crowd to speak on the dangers of impaired driving.
Thus far in 2026, nearly half of Lake County’s seven fatal traffic crashes were related to someone operating a vehicle under the influence. Since 2024, over 53% of Lake County’s fatal traffic crashes have involved an impaired driver. During that same period, 10% of all Lake County traffic crashes involved some kind of substance use, including both alcohol and drugs. There is still much that we can do to make Lake County’s roads safer for everyone.
As the summer winds down and Labor Day nears, the Coalition reminds everyone of these simple tips:
- Remember that it is never okay to drink and drive. Even if you’ve had only one alcoholic beverage, designate a sober driver or plan to use a ride service to get home safely.
- If you feel different, you drive differently. Driving high is still impaired driving.
- If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact local law enforcement.
- Do you have a friend who is about to drink and drive? Plan to get your friend home safely.
For more information on impaired driving, www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving.
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