KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- People celebrating Labor Day weekend in Kansas City will have the reassurance of a large police presence working to stop drunk drivers.
For some, Labor Day weekend marks the end of summer fun. Liz Blackburn looks forward to the Irish Festival year after year, from Guinness at the Kansas City festival to drinks in the Power and Light District.
"I just started back at my Master's program, so it's like the last hooray for summer before you really have to hunker down and study," said Blackburn.
Law enforcement departments throughout the metro are joining together to stop drunk drivers.
The national, high-visibility campaign "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" runs through Sunday.
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Keli O'Neill Wenzel is the Executive Director of the KC Irish Fest. She says safety and security are a top priority.
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"The Irish like their beer and whiskey, because it's so family friendly, people do pretty good. We just make sure they are safe," said O'Neill Wenzel.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, more than 10,265 people died in drunk driving crashes in 2015 alone.
Police hope to minimize these kinds of preventable deaths throughout the metro through ramped up enforcement and high visibility.
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