Albert Lea police and Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office deputies, along with law enforcement officers from 300 agencies across the state, are beginning an extra DWI enforcement campaign Friday that continues through Sept. 2.

The effort is coordinated by the Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Traffic Safety.

“We all need to take responsibility for our own actions,” said Albert Lea police Lt. Jeff Strom in a news release. “If you are a driver, line up a sober ride. If you’ve been drinking, stay off your bicycle as your judgement can be impaired. If you’ve been drinking and are walking to a destination, make sure a sober friend is walking with you. One bad choice can lead to a lifetime of heartache.”

The release stated 127 people died and 481 people were seriously injured  in alcohol-related crashes in Minnesota during the summer months from 2014-18, according to the Department of Public Safety.

Annually, during the same timeframe, 126,405 people were arrested for driving while impaired.

Strom said driving under the influence of a controlled substance can lead to a DUI arrest, and any amount of a controlled substance in your system while operating or in control of a motor vehicle is illegal.

The campaign is a component of the state’s Toward Zero Deaths program, which aims to create a safe driving culture.