"While officers focus on arresting drunk drivers during the crackdown, the extra patrols allow for more police coverage which leads to additional citations and other dangerous offenders being removed from the road," said Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP) Director Michael L. Prince.

Officers in 55 counties took part in the 12-day crackdown which was coordinated by OHSP and funded by federal traffic safety dollars.

Last year, 14 motorists died in Michigan over the July 4th holiday, with five of those deaths involving alcohol and three of those motorists being unbuckled. Preliminary reports indicate only one person was killed in 2009 during the holiday weekend.

Although the number of crashes was down for the time period and alcohol and/or drug-related traffic deaths were down overall last year, crashes involving alcohol are eight times more likely to be fatal. In 2008, there were 317 alcohol-related traffic deaths, a decrease of 8.2 percent from 2007.

A second Over the Limit. Under Arrest. drunk driving crackdown kicks off Aug. 21; when 55 counties will conduct impaired driving enforcement through the Labor Day weekend.

For more specific results, including a breakdown by county, visit www.michigan.gov/ohsp.