New York State Police will deploy additional troopers on North Country roads and around the state in an effort to crack down on drunk driving during the holiday season. Similar law enforcement initiatives will be taking place across the country due to records indicating an increase in drunk-driving related fatalities that occur around the holidays, a press release from Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s office said.

Troopers will again participate in the national “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign, from Friday, Dec. 12 through New Year’s Day. Drivers can expect to see sobriety checkpoints along with more troopers on major highways during the campaign. Unmarked patrol vehicles will also be on the roads.

In addition to the DWI checkpoints and patrols, troopers will be watching for distracted or impaired drivers, vehicle occupants who are not properly buckled up and drivers violating the “Move Over Law,” which requires motorists to exercise extreme caution when passing emergency vehicles that are stopped in or on the side of the road.

During last year’s campaign, State Police issued more than 38,000 tickets. More than 630 people were charged with DWIs, more than 11,000 drivers were ticketed for speeding and 1,500 drivers were caught for distracted driving.

The facts are grim: During the 2012 holiday period, 1,698 people nationwide were killed on the road, with almost a third of the fatalities related to drunk-driving. On Christmas Day that year, 26 people were killed by drunk drivers.

To keep our roads safer this holiday season, the New York State Police and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offer these tips:

• Plan a safe way home before the celebrating begins

• Before drinking, designate a sober driver

• If you’re impaired, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation

• Use your community’s sober ride program

• If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to contact local law enforcement

• If you know someone who is about to drive or ride while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to their destination safely.

Also, as part of the enhanced enforcement holiday initiative, the New York State Police today will participate in a “Safety Without Borders” campaign in partnership with bordering U.S. and Canadian law enforcement agencies.