Law enforcement officers will be out in full force during the Fourth of July holiday weekend cracking down on impaired drivers with an aggressive DUI enforcement blitz.

Local police, sheriff and the California Highway Patrol will be putting additional officers on the streets and highways over the weekend staffing one DUI/Drivers License Checkpoint and eight local DUI Roving Saturation Patrols. The CHP will also deploy officers during their Maximum Enforcement Period patrolling freeways, state highways and county roads.

In 2009, during the Fourth of July holiday weekend from July 3 to midnight July 6, there were a total 373 alcohol involved deaths and injuries on the California roadways.

There were 30 killed and 363 injured in 2009, 50 killed and 498 injured in 2008 and 30 killed and 262 injured in 2007.

“Too many people fail to understand that alcohol and driving don’t mix. Impaired driving is no accident, nor is it a victimless crime. With 1,233 people killed during the past three July 4 holidays, it’s vitally important to stop this destruction of lives and futures,” said Christopher J. Murphy, director of the California Office of Traffic Safety.

Violators will face jail time, the loss of their driver’s license, higher insurance rates and dozens of other unanticipated expenses.