Drive Safe this St. Patrick's Day, Law Enforcement Warns Against Impaired Driving
Drinking the Green Beer? Call a Designated Driver!
March 5, 2020 - Harrisburg PA
- Green beer, leprechauns, and elusive pots of gold are all hallmarks of St. Patrick's Day, the long-awaited Irish holiday. Make sure you and your friends stay safe this St. Patrick's Day by remembering one important piece of advice: Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving. This means that if you plan to drink any alcoholic beverage, even a watered-down green beer, it's essential that you plan for a designated driver. In 2018 alone, 73 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes nationwide over the St. Patrick's Day holiday period. For this reason, The Pennsylvania DUI Association and Law Enforcement are teaming up with the U.S. Department of Transportation's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to spread the message about the dangers of drunk driving.
According to NHTSA's Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 36,560 people were killed in motor vehicle crashes in 2018. In fact, from 2014 to 2018, 249 lives were lost due in drunk-driving crashes during the St. Patrick's Day Holiday. Preliminary data shows there were 109 impaired driver crashes in Pennsylvania, resulting in two fatalities, over St. Patrick's Day weekend 2019 (from Friday at 6PM to Monday at 6AM).
"Impaired or drugged drivers are often a problem on our nation's roads, but we especially are concerned during holiday periods," said Stephen Erni, Executive Director of the PA DUI Association. "People need to know that they can go out for a night of fun and return home safely. Don't be the reason someone - including yourself - doesn't get home. Don't let St. Patrick's Day become an anniversary of a tragic night."
Drunk driving isn't the only risk on the road: Drug-impaired driving is also an increasing problem, for men and for women alike. If drivers are impaired by any substance - alcohol or other drugs - they should not get behind the wheel of a vehicle. It is illegal in all states to drive impaired by alcohol or drugs. Remember: Driving while impaired is illegal, period. The bottom line is this: If You Feel Different, You Drive Different. It's that simple.
This St. Patrick's Day, PA DUI Association and Law Enforcement urge drivers to designate a sober driver before heading out for the evening. If you plan on consuming alcohol or drugs, plan on not driving.
###
