The Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning has tallied the results from the most recent "Drunk Driving. Over the Limit. Under Arrest" campaign. The objective of the program is to keep drunk drivers off the roads -- and out of accidents -- during peak times of the year, especially around holidays.

The Christmas to New Year's campaign ran from Dec. 15 to Jan. 2. According to the OHSP, more than 170 law enforcement agencies around the state sent patrols out to get drunk drivers off the roads. Officers from 26 counties participated in the saturation plan.

Over the 18-day period, officers stopped 7,334 vehicles. They arrested 308 drivers and issued more than 3,800 citations. More than 100 of those citations were for other alcohol- or drug-related violations. The OHSP reports that 38 of those drivers had blood alcohol content readings double the state limit.

State police say that traffic accidents claimed 15 lives over the same period. Alcohol contributed to four deaths. During the 2010 Christmas to New Year's campaign, 11 people died in crashes, four in alcohol-related accidents.

Even if no one is injured, an arrest is not cheap. The OHSP estimates that each of the people arrested in this Over the Limit effort will spend a total of $15,000. Expenses include court fees, legal fees, bail, towing and license fees. The estimate includes insurance costs for the accident, as well, but does not include any adjustments to premiums that result from the crash.

Federal funds pay for the added patrols participating in "Over the Limit. Under Arrest."

Source: WOODTV.com, "Holiday tally: 308 drunk drivers in Mich." Jan. 19, 2012