"Drinking and driving is a lethal combination that often results in injury or death," Acting Southern district road policing manager Senior Sergeant Steve Larking said in a statement.
"The message is simple: don't do it. Be responsible and look after yourself and your mates."
Snr Sgt Larking said police will be highly visible in the weeks leading up to Christmas and during the holiday period, with extra staff rostered on over peak travelling times and police operating checkpoints throughout the district.
"Driving hungover or when fatigued from overdoing alcohol the night before can slow your reactions and mean you make bad decisions behind the wheel," he said.
"The message here is to ask someone else to drive if you don't feel completely on the ball. That could save you from a devastating injury and could even safe your life - or someone else's."
Snr Sgt Larking said it was a message he especially wanted to impress upon people aged under 20, with the new zero-tolerance laws.
During the 2010 holiday period, one person was killed on Southern district roads and both speed and alcohol were both deemed to be factors.
Fatigue and alcohol were factors in 13% of all injury crashes during the 2010 holiday period.
Over the past five Christmas and New Year holiday periods, five people have been killed, 31 people have been seriously injured and 146 people received minor injuries on Southern district roads. Another 206 non-injury crashes were also recorded.
