Extra law enforcement patrols are starting today in Albert Lea and across the state for motorists who are drinking and driving.

According to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety, there were 127 people who died as a result of drunken driving crashes during the summer months from 2014 to 2018 in the state.

Labor Day Weekend is a busy time for law enforcement officers for driving while intoxicated arrests. According to the state agency, there were 401 people arrested for DWI over the weekend in 2018. Annually, that number reached about 26,400 in the same year.

We appreciate the attention this issue receives and ask motorists to remember the consequences that drunken driving can have on your life and the lives of others.

You can lose your license for up to a  year, have to spend thousands of dollars in costs and experience possible jail time. Some people even have to have an ignition interlock installed to ensure they are driving legally.

The worst consequence, however, is the effect you could have on another person’s life — or potentially your own — if people are injured or killed because of the choice.

Always plan for a safe ride if you know you are going to be drinking. Designate a sober driver, use a cab or stay at the location of the celebration. Always wear your seat belt, and call 911 if you witness impaired driving behavior.

The same message applies to impaired pedestrians and bicyclists.

Don’t become a drinking and driving statistic.