Tri-City police add more patrol cars for wreck awareness campaign

More patrols are out on the roads in the Tri-Cities as part of the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign.

The extra cars have been out since Aug. 19 and will continue through Sept. 5. The campaign, which is part of Target Zero, works to eliminate injuries and deaths in traffic collisions, according to the Washington Traffic Safety Commission.

Local participants include Kennewick police, Pasco police, West Richland police, Prosser police, Benton County sheriff’s deputies and Franklin County sheriff’s deputies.

There were 251 impaired drivers involved in deadly Washington crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The campaign also wants to help people understand the dangers of driving under the influence of more than just alcohol.

“When someone combines impairing substances, such as consuming marijuana and drinking alcohol, they may experience a greater level of impairment than they expected,” said Darrin Grondel, director at the Washington Traffic Safety Commission.

More information on “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” can be found at targetzero.com.

This story was originally published August 27, 2016 at 8:19 PM with the headline "Tri-City police add more patrol cars for wreck awareness campaign."