Saint John police are stepping up enforcement against impaired driving as the holiday season begins.

The Saint John Police Force has launched its annual Festive RIDE campaign, which stands for Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere.

The program runs through December with support from the Kennebecasis Regional Police Force and the New Brunswick Department of Justice and Public Safety.

Officers will be conducting checkpoints and roaming patrols across Saint John and the Kennebecasis Valley.

Police explained that drug recognition experts will also be part of the enforcement effort.

Hundreds of Canadians are killed in alcohol and drug-related crashes every year, according to MADD Canada.

The organization’s latest statistics show nearly 78,000 federal charges and provincial short-term licence suspensions were issued over a year, averaging nine every hour.

Saint John police are reminding residents and visitors to plan by designating a sober driver.

“Collectively, we share the responsibility of keeping our roads safe,” Saint John police said in a release.

Police also encouraged anyone who suspects an impaired driver to report it immediately.