DELAWARE CO., OH (WCMH)–While the Ohio State Highway Patrol increases the number of troopers busting drunk and drugged drivers, they said the number of fatal traffic deaths from impairments in Delaware County have also increased.

The ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ enforcement campaign started on August 19 and runs through Labor Day, trying to drive home the message about the consequences of impaired driving.

On Tuesday afternoon, Highway Patrol officials said a trooper pulled a car over for allegedly going 70 in a 55 mph zone near the Lewis Center Meijer. While the driver, Reuben Isaac Gooden, 26, was being charged with speed and OVI, his two-year-daughter was found strapped in a car seat in the back seat. He was subsequently charged with child endangering.

“So don’t think because you are running to the store at 9 in the morning you are safe from these people, or 5:00 in the evening. And don’t think it only happens at 2:00 in the morning, it is all hours of the day these people are out there,” said Lt. Marcus Pirrone, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Delaware Post Commander.

Roger Hanafin said he knows all too well the outcome of impaired driving. His close friend died in a drunk-driving accident more than a decade ago. He said that never goes away.

“She was a passenger of an impaired driver and unfortunately died in the accident, just absolutely senseless and horrible death,” said Hanafin.

So far this year, 12 people were killed in vehicle accidents in Delaware County. Lt. Perrone says 40 percent of those are from impaired drivers.

In November 2012 ,Marc Kraft had six drunk-driving convictions and no driver’s license when he was convicted for killing Heidi Hecker and severely injuring her baby and boyfriend in a horrific accident on U.S. 23. He is serving a nearly 30-year sentence. The problems said a judge isn’t just with adults and alcohol.

“We are seeing an increased number of juveniles driving under the influence of a drug as opposed to driving under the influence of alcohol,” said David Hejmanowski, Delaware County Juvenile Court.

Judge Hejmanowski said we cannot sentence our way out of this problem. “We need to deal with the underlying problems,” he said.

Lt. Pirrone said OVI arrests have already increased 23 percent this year in Delaware County. The year 2015 saw 221 drivers arrested for OVI, and 2016 has already seen 273.

Officials said Labor Day is one of the deadliest times of the year for impaired-driving deaths.