The roads will be filled with heavy holiday traffic during the days leading up to Christmas and New Year’s. Law enforcement agencies across Mississippi are gearing up to keep roadways safe from intoxicated drivers as part of the national campaign called Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.

During the campaign, officers actively search and arrest drunk drivers in order to decrease the number of alcohol-related car accident fatalities. Law enforcement agencies are increasing the number of patrols, setting up roadblocks and using different media platforms to educate drivers about the importance of driving sober, according to a press release from the Mississippi Office of Highway Safety.

Capt. Joe Quave with the Pearl River County Sheriff’s Department said since Dec. 12, additional deputies have been out patrolling the county’s roadways.

“Until Jan. 1, we will be conducting safety checkpoints throughout the county both day and night. We will also have extra deputies out patrolling,” Quave said.

All overtime will be paid via a grant from the Mississippi Office of Highway Safety.

Quave said the deputies are looking for equipment violations, seatbelt and child restraint violations and impaired drivers.

More Mississippi Highway Patrol troopers will occupy the roadways from Dec. 23 until Dec. 27. Cpl. Benjamin Seibert said there’s no excuse for drinking and driving.

“This period between Thanksgiving and Christmas, we work a lot of wrecks because there’s more traffic with everyone out on the roads Christmas shopping or traveling,” Seibert said. “While everyone else is celebrating the holidays, we’re going to be working. We’re looking for drunk drivers, distracted drivers, those people speeding and driving recklessly.”

Seibert said they’ve seen a decrease in DUI-related fatalities during the holiday season because of the increase in patrols.

In 2013, 10,076 people were killed in crashes involving a drunk driver and 733 people were killed in crashes involving at least one driver or motorcycle operator with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher, according to the press release.

If a person is caught drinking and driving, they could face jail time, the loss of driver’s license, fines and other DUI-related expenses, which could total $10,000, according to the release.

If people plan to drink alcohol during a Christmas party, they’re encouraged to designate a sober driver to get them home safely.

Capt. Johnny Poulos, MHP public affairs director, said in the press release that people can use public transportation, call a taxi or a relative in order to avoid a potential car accident.

“The safest way to get home is to drive sober or catch a ride with a sober designated driver. If you plan on drinking at the holiday party or at a restaurant, hand the keys over to someone else—a sober friend, call a taxi or some other form of public transportation. Or, try NHTSA’s SaferRide mobile app, which allows users to call taxi or a friend by identifying their location so they can be picked up,” Poulos said.

For more information, visit www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov.