Officers to crackdown on North Carolina highway drivers, boaters over Labor Day weekend

The North Carolina State Highway Patrol will have safety checkpoints set up on roadways through Labor Day weekend.

The state agency is working with N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission and Mothers Against Drunk Driving North Carolina for the campaign to reduce alcohol-related incidents where traffic increases during holiday weekends.

The "On the Road, On the Water, Don't Drink and Drive" campaign will run from Sept. 3-6.

Wildlife law enforcement will be patrolling the waterways.

"If your Labor Day weekend plans include drinking alcohol, it's imperative to designate a sober driver whether you're in a vehicle or on a boat," said Lieutenant Forrest Orr of the Wildlife Commission. "A sober operator greatly improves your chances of a safe and incident-free experience on both the road and in the water."

"Our continued partnership with N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission is essential to ensuring this Labor Day weekend is a celebration for all and not one that ends in tragedy," said Colonel Freddy L. Johnson Jr., commander of the State Highway Patrol. "Whether it is a Trooper on the roadways or a Wildlife Officer on the water, our combined lifesaving efforts through education and enforcement make a difference every day and this dedicated work is undoubtedly saving lives."

In North Carolina, a driver or boat operator with a blood-alcohol concentration that is or exceeds .08 or is substantially impaired by alcohol and/or drugs is subject to arrest.

See breaking news? Tell us about it here.