SEA ISLE CITY — From Aug. 17 to Sept. 3, law enforcement officers in this city will be stepping up impaired driving enforcement as part of the state’s “Over the Limit Under Arrest 2007 Crackdown.”

The summer driving season, which concludes with the Labor Day holiday, is traditionally a time for social gatherings, which often include alcohol.

The goal of the program is to raise awareness about the dangers of drinking and driving through high-visibility enforcement, and to arrest drivers who choose to drive while impaired by drugs or alcohol.

Impaired drivers kill nearly 18,000 people on our nation’s roads each year. In New Jersey for 2005, 252 of the 748 motor vehicle fatalities, or 34 percent were alcohol-related.

Law enforcement agencies offer the following advice: don’t risk it, choose a designated driver, take a bus or a cab, spend the night, report impaired drivers and always buckle up.