Nearly 100 agencies in 20 counties crack down on drunk driving through the holiday weekend

(WXYZ) - Extra drunk driving patrols will be out on the roads starting Thanksgiving Eve and throughout the holiday weekend. The night before Thanksgiving is known to be a day where many hit the bars and then get behind the wheel.

Last year alone, 166 people were arrested for alcohol-related offenses during the early hours of Thanksgiving morning.

Drunk drivers risk up to 93 days in jail, a $500 fine, up to 360 hours of community service, 180 days of driving suspension and six points on your driver’s license, all on top of a $1,000 fee for two consecutive years.

If a driver refuses a breath test, their driver’s license will automatically be suspended for one-year.

Not only will drunk driving get you in trouble, but your Blood Alcohol Level plays a role in the penalties you may face.

Drivers with a .17 BAC or higher will be subject to harsher penalties, such as how much you will owe in fines, jail time and even the possibility of a restriction on your driver’s license with the use of a breath alcohol ignition interlock device.

Agencies participating in the extra Thanksgiving drunk driving patrols are: Berrien, Calhoun, Chippewa, Delta, Genesee, Houghton, Ingham, Jackson, Kent, Macomb, Marquette, Monroe, Oakland, Ogemaw, Ottawa, Saginaw, St. Clair, Vanburen, Washtenaw and Wayne.