NEWARK — The Ohio State Highway Patrol is prepared for a typically busy New Year’s Eve of drunken driving cases.

Patrol statistics show the holiday brings three times more arrests for operating a vehicle while impaired than on an average day.

About 200 motorists were cited by troopers on each of the last three New Year’s Eves.

Patrol Sgt. Raymond Durant says it’s up to individual patrol posts to decide whether to have additional troopers on the roads Thursday night.

Troopers in Lorain County will be out in full force, according to Sgt. Charles Gullet of the Elyria post.

“We’ll be out in full force, aggressively looking OVI arrests, aggressive driving and any other violations violations,” he said.

The highway patrol says troopers have generally been making fewer drunken driving arrests this year. As of Dec. 23, citations statewide were down about 4.5 percent from 2008 levels.