NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The first day of July marks the beginning of one of the deadliest months of the year for Tennesseans.

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Whether residents are boating or driving, there are going to be a lot more eyes watching.

A new safety effort unveiled on Tuesday has eight different agencies working to keep people safe on the water and on highways.

"One of the things that we're trying to do now is get the attention of the public, whether they're boating or they're driving," said Tennessee Highway Patrol Col. Mike Walker.

The message being driven home by state and metro police and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is that drunken driving is against the law.

"The number one stranger crime in America that takes life is not murder. The number one stranger crime in America that takes life is drunk driving or impaired driving," said Metro police Chief Ronal Serpas.

Last year, during the July Fourth holiday period, seven people were killed on Tennessee roads, more than half of whom died in alcohol-related crashes.

Law enforcement also wants to make a big splash by promoting boating safety like wearing life jackets, avoiding carbon monoxide poisoning from boat engines and staying clear of propellers.

"People falling overboard is the No. 1 type of fatality that occurs year after year in boating. In Tennessee, we'll lose anywhere from about 16 to 30 people a year in boating fatalities," said TWRA representative Ed Carter.

There are 4 million boaters in Tennessee, and authorities said whether in a car or boat, always use a designated driver.

The Fourth of July holiday is the second most deadly holiday period behind New Year’s Eve.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that nearly 40 times a day or every 39 minutes, someone dies because of an impaired driver.