Police arrested an alarming number of drunk or drug-impaired drivers in Abbotsford, British Columbia, over the long weekend – including 11 alone on Friday evening.

Sgt. Paul Walker of the Abbotsford Police Service said officers arrested 18 impaired drivers Monday afternoon, which is unusual for this time of year.

“This number concerns us greatly,” Walker said. “People don’t make good choices going home from their destination, their office party, their night out with a friend.”

The 11 drivers arrested Friday were arrested within a four-hour period, between 8 p.m. and midnight, Walker said.

As the holiday season and related festivities approach, Abbotsford police have urged revelers to plan ahead, which can range from booking a designated driver to Operation Red Nose.

Motorists can use the Operation Red Nose website or app to have a volunteer take them home in their own vehicle, but only in certain communities and on certain dates.

“There is no excuse for going home impaired,” Walker added. “We have ride-sharing services, we have taxis.”

Those who decide to take a chance and drive home under the influence of alcohol or drugs could face anything from an immediate roadside suspension to criminal charges, Walker warned.

“We will be out there every day and night looking for impaired drivers – and if we find you, we will hold you accountable,” he said.

According to the Abbotsford Police Service, officers have removed about 650 impaired drivers from the road so far this year, including more than 100 who were under the influence of drugs.

For comparison, 722 suspected impaired drivers were arrested in the community last year, 120 of whom were drug-impaired.

With files from Kevin Charach of CTV News Vancouver