With the Fourth of July holiday Thursday, we will all get to kick off our long weekend with a celebration — one of the best ones of the year, if you ask me.

There is nothing quite like kicking back with family and friends and enjoying America’s birthday with fireworks, the summer sun, a cookout and a cold beer or two.

However, before we raise our glasses to cheer, we need to remember to drive safe this holiday weekend.

If you decide to drive while impaired by either alcohol or another substance, the consequences can be dire.

You could receive a DUI, which can leave you subject to substantial fines, license suspension and even jail time. For a first offense, a DUI can come with a sentence of up to 93 days in jail, fines up to $500, 360 hours of community service and vehicle immobilization. With each offense, the penalties become harsher, with third-time offenders subject to a potential of up to five years in prison, up to $5,000 fines, a minimum of 30 days probation with jail, a minimum 60 days of community service and mandatory vehicle immobilization.

Outside of the legal ramifications of driving while impaired, you are putting your life and the lives of others in danger.

According to statistics provided by the Office of Highway Safety Planning, Michigan averages 18 traffic fatalities per year for the Fourth of July holiday. In 2018, there were seven traffic fatalities over the Fourth of July holiday with at least one crash involving alcohol. Additionally, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, approximately one-third of all traffic crash fatalities in the U.S. involve drivers with blood-alcohol concentrations of .08 (the legal limit) or higher.

To help keep drivers safe this holiday season, several local law enforcement agencies are taking part in the “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” Campaign, which runs from July 1 to July 14. For the campaign, agencies, including the Berrien County Sheriff’s Office, will have extra deputies patrolling the roadways and prioritizing enforcing drunk and/or drugged driving laws.

This is all the more reason to stay off the road if you have been drinking. Driving is the most dangerous thing you do every day, and drinking increases that danger tenfold.

Nothing is worth risking your life or someone else’s due to driving impaired. So, if you are out celebrating this weekend with a drink or two, put away your keys, call a cab, an Uber or a friend to pick you up, and have a safe and fun Fourth of July.