Thanksgiving is a time for gratitude and reflection, a time when friends and relatives come together and toast all of the wonderful things for which we should give thanks. But as with any major celebration, the Thanksgiving holiday can give way to excessive drinking, and the authorities are well aware of this reality. In fact, the King County holiday DUI patrols are already underway, and if you aren't careful, you may become a casualty of the aggressive law enforcement effort.

The Highline Times reports that additional officers will be canvassing roadways throughout King County between November 21 and January 1, 2013. Their goal: To find and arrest impaired drivers. The effort is part of the state's “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign. The new campaign will be observed by police forces in Burien, Des Moines, Port of Seattle, SeaTac and Tukwila, as the well as by the State Patrol.

The campaign should come as no surprise to King County residents. The state has long been very aggressive about pursuing DUI suspects, and in recent years, local police forces have ramped up their efforts with numerous DUI campaigns, usually taking place around holidays like Christmas, Thanksgiving and Independence Day.

If you're planning on driving in King County or anywhere in Washington State during the Thanksgiving holiday, be aware that police will be looking for any subtle signs of possible intoxication. Use a designated driver if you plan to drink, or make arrangements to take public transportation or spend the night with the person hosting the festivities.

You have many options, but don't take the risk of driving impaired. The laws in Washington State are very aggressive when it comes to DUI. If you're convicted, there is mandatory jail, license suspension, ignition interlock device (at your own expense), and thousands of dollars in fines. All of this even on a first offense DUI.  Don't let a holiday of gratitude turn into an evening of regret.

At Wolff Criminal Defense, we recognize that even responsible drivers can have the occasional lapse in judgment, or become subject to charges that are just completely unfair. That's why our firm is devoted to aggressively defending people who have been charged with DUI in Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond and throughout King, Snohomish and Pierce Counties. If you have been charged, don't attempt to fight the battle alone. You need a qualified King County DUI attorney to stand beside you and help level the playing field.

Call Wolff Criminal Defense today at 425-284-2000 for a free and confidential consultation.