Students looking to drink and drive will have a higher chance of getting arrested this weekend as Florence and UNA police step up patrols to crack down on drunk driving.

Local law enforcement will team up through Labor Day to place more police officers on the roads to prevent alcohol-related accidents and fatalities from occurring. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports 10,839 fatalities in 2009 where the driver was at or above the legal blood alcohol limit.

In Alabama, it is unlawful for a person with a blood alcohol level of .08 or higher to operate a vehicle. Florence police Chief Rick Singleton said officers typically arrest more people for DUIs during Labor Day weekend, which sparked his department to closely monitor the streets.

Singleton said one of the most difficult parts of being an officer is seeing a young person get injured, killed or kill another person because they made the decision to get behind the wheel after drinking too much alcohol.

“The lucky ones are the ones we catch,” he said. “The unlucky ones are the ones we have to call the undertaker for.”

Eddie Russell, project manager for North Alabama Highway Safety in Tuscumbia, said 215 alcohol-related crashes occurred in 2010, and 21 of those deaths took place within north Alabama.

Across the state, there were 3,759 injuries as a result of alcohol-related collisions, with 434 in north Alabama, according to Russell.

“The main thing we’re trying to emphasize is if you’re going to drink and drive, don’t get behind the wheel,” he said. “If you’ve had too much or anything to drink, there are consequences for your actions. It’s simply not worth it.”

Singleton said his department receives a grant each year to pay extra officers to patrol streets during DUI-heavy holidays, including Labor Day, Memorial Day, July 4 and New Year’s Eve.

Underage drinking is an issue many local police officers see within the Florence area, according to Singleton.

“I think the one thing we have is the opportunity as human beings to be a person of character and integrity,” he said. “If you’re not 21 years old, you’re not old enough to be drinking. If you choose to break the law, I think that says something about your character and integrity.”

UNA police Chief Bob Pastula said his department has seen a higher number of underage drinking incidents. Police officers at UNA will work with Florence to get drunk drivers off the roads.

Pastula advises students to have a desginated driver if they plan to drink during Labor Day weekend.

“If you get behind the wheel and you’ve been drinking, you will probably go to jail,” he said. “If you kill someone, you’ll be going to jail for a long time.”