NORWAY — For the rest of the month, Maine State Police will be on the lookout for drivers who may be a little too full of “holiday cheer” and pose a risk behind the wheel.

As part of a nationwide effort to target impaired driving over the holidays, state police, in cooperation with local and county law enforcement, will be stopping vehicles, checking licences and looking for signs of intoxication at roadblocks in the Oxford Hills region Saturday.

The special detail is part of an annual effort to curb driving under the influence over the holidays. In addition to Saturday’s roadblock, more state police patrols will be on the roads through Jan. 1 to focus on impaired drivers.

State police Lt. Walter Grzyb said the effort is funded with a grant from the Maine Department of Highway Safety and is part of the national Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign.

“Drunk and drugged drivers place everyone at serious risk on our roadways,” Grzyb said in a statement. “The focus of this effort is to take these drivers off the road, making it safer for everyone during the holiday season.”

Grzyb would not disclose the location or time of the scheduled checkpoint, but said it would be within the Oxford Hills region. 

The drive sober campaign, a project of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, helps bring awareness to the dangers of intoxicated driving through public education, as well as helping fund checkpoints and extra patrols during periods that are believed to have a higher volume of impaired drivers on the road.

The winter holidays are traditionally one of those times when law enforcement  sees a noticeable increase in the number of people getting behind the wheel after they’ve had too much to drink, Grzyb said.

“Holiday gatherings and parties are common, and alcohol consumption is frequently part of those festivities,” he said.

“We want everyone to enjoy themselves during this time of year. All we ask is that if you drink, please don’t drive.”

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