Extra police patrols are throughout King County until Labor Day to rid the roads of drunk drivers, so people should beware after boating, barbeques and an evening at the bar because officers say "if you drive hammered, you will get nailed."

In the county and city, officers will be working approximately 863 extra hours out on the roads. The money to pay them is coming from the Washington Traffic Safety Commission. Participating in the extra Drive Hammered, Get Nailed patrols are the officers from 25 department, including the Seattle Police, Port of Seattle officers and the Washington State Patrol.

Law enforcement agencies throughout Washington are participating in this summer's campaign with the goal to reduce serious injuries and fatalities from vehicle collisions caused by impaired drivers.

Last year in King County, during the Drive Hammered, Get Nailed campaign, participating King County law enforcement agencies made 175 driving under the influence arrests.

More driving under the influence citations are issued during August than any other month of the year, say officers. Drunk driving is the most frequently committed violent crime in America - and in Washington State it is the single largest cause of fatal collisions. Designating a sober driver or taking a taxi can save lives.

Between 2000 and 2004, there were 1,260 lives lost on Washington roadways as a result of drinking and driving. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, "impaired driving is a chronic problem that will affect one in three Americans during their lifetime. Nearly 42,000 people die in motor vehicle crashes each year. Approximately 16,000 of these deaths are alcohol-related.

"Impaired driving continues to be the leading cause of fatal crashes both nationally and in the state of Washington, and is therefore the top priority for traffic safety professionals across the country. Every life lost at the hands of an impaired driver is preventable which makes each tragic death even more painful to the families and friends who suffer the loss of a loved one. We must continue to do everything possible to change this devastating trend. This crackdown on impaired driving is one of many efforts underway to reduce the number of impaired drivers on Washington's roadways," says Lowell Porter, Director of the Washington Traffic Safety Commission.

This campaign is a joint effort between the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, law enforcement statewide, and the King County Task Force.