Thirty-eight people died in King County in Driving Under the Influence (DUI) crashes last year, according to Fatality Analysis Reporting System.

In an effort to save lives, extra officers will be looking for DUI drivers between Aug. 19 and Sept. 5 during the annual Drive Hammered, Get Nailed campaign.

“This summer, we have unfortunately seen the tragic consequences of DUI crashes in our communities,” shared Sgt. Lisa Brouelette of the Kirkland Police Department. “We are here to get unsafe drivers off the road and encourage you to plan for a sober ride home before going out.”

Last year in King County, during the same time period, officers on routine and extra patrols arrested 438 people for DUI. For all of 2010, in King County, 9,521 people were charged with DUI, according to the Administrative Office of the Courts.

A new law called “Hailey’s Law” went into effect on July 22, 2011. Now all DUI arrestees’ cars will be towed and impounded for at least 12 hours. Only a registered or legal owner who was not in the car at the time of arrest is allowed to get the car out of impound before the mandatory 12 hours.

“This new law helps eliminate the danger of drunk drivers getting back into their cars and putting everyone at risk,” said Lowell Porter, Director of the Washington Traffic Safety Commission. “Now all drunk drivers face the costs of towing and impound in addition to jail time, losing their driver’s license, and the high cost of a DUI.”

The Algona, Auburn, Bellevue, Black Diamond, Burien, Clyde Hill, Covington, Des Moines, Federal Way, Issaquah, Kent, Kirkland, Maple Valley, Newcastle, Normandy Park, North Bend, Pacific, Redmond, Renton, Sammamish, Seatac, Seattle, Snoqualmie and Tukwila Police Departments, and the Washington State Patrol will join nearly 10,000 other agencies nationwide in the campaign.

The King County Target Zero Task Force organizes and supports this enforcement effort.

For additional information about the Washington Traffic Safety Commission, visit www.wtsc.wa.gov.