Police watching for impaired drivers this weekend in the Roanoke Valley

ROANOKE, Va.- – There have already been more than 350 alcohol DUI arrests this year. With Christmas and New Year's coming up, police expect to see a lot more traffic on the roads.

The Roanoke Valley DUI Task Force is already out in full force, looking for  drivers under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

Sgt. William Hoopes with Roanoke County Police says officers get several different types of excuses from drivers they pull over. 

"I'm not the familiar with the area, which is ultimately will cost them to get stuff in the first place. They want to say they're looking around, looking at the scenery, they're lost trying to focus on the GPS," said Hoopes.

Not only will police be out on the major roads like 581 and I-81. They will also patrol many of the side and neighborhood roads such as Peters Creek, Plantation and Williamson Road.

According to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, more than 220 crashes in Virginia between Christmas Eve 2017 and New Year's Day 2018 involved alcohol. Six people were killed in these crashes and 118 were injured.