Washtenaw police agencies cracking down on drunken driving Thanksgiving weekend

By Kyle Feldscher Crime and courts reporter

Posted on Wed, Nov 21, 2012 : 5:57 a.m.

Wednesday night might be the unofficial biggest bar night of the year, but it also marks the beginning of targeted drunken driving enforcement in Washtenaw County.

Police agencies are stepping up drunken driving enforcement this weekend.

According to a statement released by deputies, law enforcement officers from the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office, University of Michigan Police, Pittsfield Township Police, Saline Police Department and Northfield Township Police Department will be working more than 100 hours combined from Wednesday to Sunday targeting drunken drivers.

The special enforcement period is funded by the federal traffic safety funds distributed through the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning.

According to deputies, 42 percent of all fatal crashes in Washtenaw County involve alcohol.

“The goal of the traffic enforcement is removing impaired drivers from behind the wheel of a car, which will reduce their ability to hurt themselves or others,” the statement read.

The Southeast Michigan Council of Governments reports there was a total of 33 fatal crashes in Washtenaw County in 2011. Of those 33 crashes, 12 of them involved alcohol, according to the SEMCOG report.