Barrington Hills police are reminding motorists to designate a sober driver before Cinco de Mayo festivities begin Thursday.

Police are teaming up with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and other federal, state and local law enforcement officials in the campaign, Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk

“Driving drunk or riding with someone who is under the influence is simply not worth the risk. The consequences are too serious and real,” said Police Chief Michael Murphy in a prepared statement. “Not only do you risk killing yourself or someone else, but the trauma and financial costs of a crash or an arrest for driving while impaired can be really significant.”

According to the highway administration, an average of 43 percent of all highway fatalities from 2002 to 2006 on May 5, overnight and into early the next day were caused by drunk drivers.