ORONO – With nearly 4,000 students expected to arrive at the University of Maine campus this weekend, and roadways expected to be busy with holiday travelers, law enforcement officers will be out in full force.

Officers will be conducting safety checks and saturation patrols to protect citizens from drunken drivers, University of Maine spokesman Joe Carr said Friday. UMaine Public Safety also plans increased enforcement on campus.

“Our message is simple, and it’s encapsulated in the now-familiar slogan, ‘You drink and drive, you lose,'” UMaine Public Safety Officer Deborah Mitchell said. “We encourage anyone planning on drinking alcohol to be responsible and designate a sober driver. With checkpoints, roving patrols, undercover officers and concerned citizens, chances are, if you drive impaired this weekend, you will be arrested.”

Impaired driving is recognized as one of the United States’ most often committed and deadliest crimes with an estimated 513,000 people injured in alcohol-related crashes each year.

“Driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 and above is illegal in every state,” said UMaine police Chief Noel March. “Violators will end up spending lots of money on bail, court, lawyers and towing fees.” March noted that on-campus drunken driving violations can result in arrest, jail time, fines, loss of driver’s license, and impoundment of the driver’s vehicle.

In addition to contributing to an estimated 1,700 student deaths and 600,000 injuries nationwide each year, drinking by college students who are between the ages of 18 and 24 contributes to other crimes such as assault, sexual assault and various property crimes.

UMaine police remind everyone:

. Be responsible and don’t risk it. You will be caught.

. If you plan to drink, choose a designated driver before going out.

. Take the bus or a taxicab, or ask a sober friend to drive you home.

. Spend the night where the activity is being held.

. Report impaired drivers to law enforcement.

. Always buckle up.

The “You Drink & Drive. You Lose” national campaign, first launched in December 1999, is a comprehensive impaired-driving prevention effort focused on conducting highly visible law-enforcement-related efforts to deter impaired driving. For information, visit www.stopimpaireddriving.org.