Sarasota Police Step Up Labor Day DUI Enforcement: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over

As Labor Day weekend approaches, the Sarasota Police Department is joining law enforcement agencies across the country in reminding drivers that celebrating the unofficial end of summer should never include getting behind the wheel while impaired.

The nationwide Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign, organized by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), runs from August 19 through September 7, 2026. The high-visibility enforcement effort is designed to deter impaired driving through increased public awareness and law enforcement presence during one of the nation’s busiest holiday travel periods.

For Sarasota residents and visitors heading to beaches, restaurants, bars, backyard gatherings and other Labor Day celebrations, police have a simple message: If you’re going to drink, don’t drive.

Labor Day Crash Numbers Show Why the Campaign Matters

The statistics behind the campaign are sobering.

According to NHTSA, 505 people were killed in traffic crashes nationwide during the 2024 Labor Day holiday period, which ran from 6 p.m. Friday, August 30, through 5:59 a.m. Tuesday, September 3.

Of those fatalities, 170 people — approximately 34% — died in crashes involving at least one alcohol-impaired driver with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher.

The numbers become even more concerning when looking at severely impaired drivers. Among the impaired drivers who were killed during the holiday period, 77% had a BAC of .15 or higher, nearly twice the legal limit used in Florida and most of the country.

Younger adults were particularly vulnerable. Among drivers ages 18 to 34 who were killed in crashes during the 2024 Labor Day holiday, approximately 40% were legally drunk, with BAC levels of .08 or higher.

Nationwide, alcohol-impaired driving remains a major roadway safety problem. NHTSA reports that approximately 30% of all U.S. traffic fatalities in 2024 involved an alcohol-impaired driver.

Make the Decision Before the First Drink

One of the simplest ways to prevent an impaired-driving crash is to decide how you’re getting home before drinking begins.

Anyone planning to consume alcohol during Labor Day celebrations should arrange transportation ahead of time. Options include choosing a designated sober driver, using Uber or Lyft, calling a taxi, using public transportation where available or arranging to stay overnight.

Waiting until after drinking to make that decision can be dangerous because alcohol affects judgment as well as reaction time and coordination.

A person who feels capable of driving may already be impaired.

Friends Can Prevent a Tragedy

Passengers, friends and family members also have an important role to play.

If someone has been drinking and plans to drive, don’t simply hope they’ll make it home safely. Offer to drive, call them a rideshare or taxi, help arrange another sober ride or, when necessary, take their keys.

A few uncomfortable minutes convincing a friend not to drive can prevent consequences that last a lifetime.

Impairment Isn’t Limited to Alcohol

The Labor Day safety campaign also includes another important message: Driving while impaired by drugs can be every bit as dangerous as driving drunk.

NHTSA warns that marijuana and other impairing substances can negatively affect coordination, reaction time and other skills necessary for safe driving. The agency’s companion campaign reinforces the message: If You Feel Different, You Drive Different. Drive High, Get a DUI.

Prescription and over-the-counter medications can also affect driving ability. Drivers should read medication warnings and talk with a doctor or pharmacist if they’re uncertain whether a medication could cause drowsiness, dizziness or other impairment.

Motorcyclists Face Additional Risks

The Labor Day message is especially important for motorcycle riders.

NHTSA reports that 113 motorcycle riders were killed during the 2024 Labor Day holiday period, with 31 — approximately 27% — dying in drunk-driving crashes.

For riders, impaired judgment combined with the balance, coordination and reaction skills required to safely operate a motorcycle can create an especially dangerous combination.

See a Suspected Impaired Driver? Call 911

Drivers who encounter a suspected impaired motorist should keep a safe distance and avoid trying to confront or stop the vehicle.

If the vehicle is creating an immediate danger, call 911 and provide dispatchers with as much information as safely possible, including the vehicle’s description, license plate, direction of travel and location.

Never attempt to follow an impaired driver if doing so places you or others in danger.

One Ride Home Can Prevent a Lifetime of Consequences

Beyond the potential for injury or death, a DUI arrest can result in criminal charges, fines, attorney fees, increased insurance costs, driver’s license restrictions and other long-term consequences.

Florida law prohibits driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, and a BAC of .08 or above can result in a DUI charge. Impairment can also lead to a DUI arrest even when alcohol is not involved.

The far better option is also the easiest one: plan ahead.

Labor Day should be remembered for a day at the beach, a cookout with friends, time with family or a relaxing three-day weekend — not for a preventable crash, arrest, serious injury or death.

The Sarasota Police Department and NHTSA are asking everyone traveling throughout Sarasota and the Florida Suncoast to make the same commitment this Labor Day:

Drive sober. Help your friends get home safely. Watch out for one another. And never let an impaired person get behind the wheel.

Helpful Resources

• National Highway Traffic Safety Administration – Drunk Driving Information
• NHTSA – Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Campaign
• NHTSA – Drive High, Get a DUI Campaign
• Sarasota Police Department
• Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles
• Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles – Impaired Driving Information
• Uber
• Lyft

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• Plan Ahead This Labor Day Holiday: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over
• Florida Highway Patrol Urges Motorcycle Safety as Fatal Crashes Rise in 2026