Ottawa County warns: zero tolerance for drunk driving & seatbelt enforcement 

The Ottawa County Sheriff's Office has two simple messages: Drive sober and buckle up.

Begining this weekend, the Ottawa County's Sheriff's Office will be joining police agencies across the state prioritizing drunk driving and seatbelt enforcement with extra officers on the road and zero tolerance for lawbreakers.

On August 17 and 18, and again on August 24 and 25, additional patrol cars will be out in West Michigan getting drunk drivers off the road. In 2017, 320 people died in Michigan as a result of alcohol-involved car crashes and 221 died  in drug-involved traffic accidents.   

Then on August 31, when many residents hit the road for the Labor Day weekend, deputies will be watching closely for seatbelt use. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data shows there were 10,428 unbuckled passenger vehicle occupants killed in crashes in the United States in 2016. If all passenger vehicle occupants age five and older involved in fatal crashes had worn their seat belts, an additional 2,456 lives could have been saved.

"It is a proven fact that seatbelts reduce injuries and save lives. It takes just an extra few seconds to buckle up," said Ottawa County Sheriff Steve Kempker. "This isn't about a ticketing campaign. This is about saving lives." 

Ottawa County's drunk driving and seatbelt enforcement campaign is supported with funds from the US Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and coordinated by the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning.