BRADENTON, Fla. (WFLA) — As the festive season approaches, the Bradenton Police Department is urging drivers to arrange safe transportation if they intend to drink.

The department humorously highlighted the dangers of drinking and driving in a Facebook post: “‘That’s not my beer’ is never a valid excuse when you’re driving… with an open container… and hitting curbs. (Yes, this really happened.),” they noted.

The Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over initiative is in full swing and will continue until New Year’s Day across the nation.

According to the BPD, this highly visible campaign aims to curb impaired driving through proactive law enforcement efforts.

“Don’t let a poor choice mar your holidays,” the Bradenton Police Department reminded the public.

If you plan to drink while celebrating the holidays, you can:

• Plan a ride
• Use a designated driver
• Rideshare service
• Taxi

“During the Christmas and New Year holiday periods, we often see a rise in drunk-driving deaths. In fact, the latest NHTSA data shows December drunk driving deaths are one of the highest in 15 years,” The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said.

For more information about the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign, visit their website.