If you’re motoring down certain roads in the state, you might spot some unusual billboards warning of the risks of drunk driving in Michigan.
A new “Cop Cab” ad campaign from the Michigan State Police features a car that is one-half taxi and one-half police cruiser. The special type of hybrid is making appearances at car shows and on billboards statewide.
The message to potential drunk drivers: “Choose Your Ride.”
“We hope this cruiser-cab catches people’s attention about the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over drunk driving crackdown,” said Michael L. Prince, director of the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning, in a statement on MLive. “Everyone should be on notice that law enforcement officers are serious about stopping and arresting drunk drivers.”
The car itself is real. The front half is a Novi police cruiser complete with flashing lights. The back is a taxi cab. The billboards feature the cab in the back with a local police department – such as Detroit, Flint, Saginaw, and Lansing – on the front.
Last year’s Labor Day campaign – which did not include a “Cop Cab” – resulted in more than 350 DUI arrests and 4,500 seat belt tickets.
Drunk Driving Crackdown in Michigan
The push is a part of Michigan’s Strategic Highway Safety Plan that Governor Snyder signed into law in February. A priority of the plan is to discourage drivers from getting behind the wheel after consuming alcohol or taking drugs.
There were more than 10,000 alcohol related crashes statewide in 2012, according to the Michigan State Police, and 260 of them resulted in at least one person being killed. Nearly a third of Michigan’s traffic deaths involve alcohol and drugs.
Being arrested for suspected drunken driving is a serious offense. Potential penalties include fines, loss of driving privileges and even incarceration.
If you are charged with an alcohol-related offense, contact a Michigan DUI attorney for a free legal consultation.
