DUI arrests were up by 6 percent in Santa Barbara County over an 18-day crackdown as Avoid the 12 reported an even 200 arrests, compared with 189 last summer.

The summer mobilization ended at midnight Monday, and was part of a nationwide effort tagged “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

DUI arrests over the Labor Day weekend stood at 49, compared with 47 over the same weekend last year.

“We’re up a bit in DUI arrests,” said Senior Deputy Jeff Farmer of the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Department. “We know that our enforcement efforts are having a good effect, but there are still some drivers who aren’t getting the message and make the bad decision to drink and drive. It’s not only a bad decision, it’s a criminal act.”

One DUI death was reported on Aug. 21.

Avoid the 12 is funded by the California Office of Traffic Safety through NHTSA. It will hit the streets and freeways over Halloween and for a 20-day crackdown starting in mid-December.

— Jan Ford is a public information officer for Avoid the 12.