The Jefferson Police Department is partnering with the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau to step up law enforcement efforts this holiday season.

Officers are participating in the special Traffic Enforcement Program (sTEP) Wave throughout the holiday season, and they will be looking for impaired drivers. Law enforcement officials report from the December 13, 2018-January 1, 2019, officers arrested 506 impaired drivers. Additionally, there were 17 fatal crashes that killed 18 people during that same time frame, with four of the fatalities involving an impaired driver.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in 2017, 45-percent of drivers that were killed in crashes also tested positive for drugs. In December of 2017, the NHTSA reports 885 people died in traffic-related crashes.

The Jefferson Police Department urges everyone to drive safely this holiday season and always use a seat belt. The current sTEP Wave runs through January 1st.