Auburn police will join other participating agencies to provide extra DUI patrols throughout King County to rid the roads of impaired drivers during the holiday season.

The “Drive Hammered, Get Nailed” campaign officially begins Wednesday, the day before Thanksgiving, and continues until Jan. 2.

“We want this holiday season to be enjoyed by everyone,” said Sgt. Sjolin of the Renton Police Department. “In Washington state, driver impairment continues to be the No. 1 factor contributing to traffic deaths. These preventable crashes can be eliminated if everyone works to become a part of the solution.

“Plan ahead. Before you consume a single drink of alcohol have a plan for how you and the people you are with will get home safely. Please drive sober.”

The average blood alcohol level of people arrested in Washington for DUI is about .14. That’s almost twice the legal limit of .08.

Especially at this time of year, law enforcement officers statewide advise all holiday party-goers to designate a sober driver, take a taxi or choose not to drink.

In 2009 there were 41,006 people charged with DUI in Washington.

PAST 5-YEAR BREAKDOWN

• 2005: 41,872

• 2006: 42,029

• 2007: 41,569

• 2008: 39,455

• 2009: 41,006

The Drive Hammered, Get Nailed campaign is a joint effort among the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, law enforcement statewide and the King County Target Zero Task Forces.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), an average of 30 people are killed every day on our nation’s roadways as a result of alcohol-impaired crashes. However, there is good news. During 2009, the number of alcohol impaired crashes decreased nationwide by more than 7 percent from 2008 to a total of 10,839.

For additional information about the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, visit www.wtsc.wa.gov.