LANSING (WKZO) -- Twenty Michigan counties are taking advantage of federal grants to pay police officers to watch the roads for drunk drivers over the holiday weekend.

"The big thing that we see the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving - drunk driving arrests," according to Lynn Sutfin of the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning.

"They almost double," she said.

Nearly 100 police agencies will be participating, with several southwest Michigan counties included.

Sutfin told WKZO the numbers show the extra patrols are necessary.

"On an average Wednesday evening in November, you get about 74 people arrested [for drunk driving]," she said. "Last year, 166 people were arrested that Wednesday before Thanksgiving."

Thanksgiving eve is considered one of the busiest nights for drinking and driving, largely due to pre-Thanksgiving celebrating taking place, which often involves alcohol.

Hear the whole Sutfin interview from The Lori Moore Show by clicking here.