Police are reminding area residents to be smart about driving this St. Patrick’s Day weekend.
“St. Patrick’s Day should only be a good time for members of our community,” said Sergeant David Bentz, Exeter Township Police Department and Berks County Coordinator for the North Central Regional DUI Enforcement Program. “But we need your help to make this a reality. A commitment to sober driving keeps our neighborhood roads safe. Always make a plan before heading out to the festivities. Understand the dangers of drinking and driving. It is illegal to drink and drive and should never be an option for how you get home. Designate a sober driver before you and your friends go out to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Remember: Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over – St. Paddy’s Day, and every day,” he said.
March 17 has become a dangerous holiday on our nation’s roads. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), during the 2016 St. Patrick’s Day holiday period, almost two-fifths (39 percent) of all motor vehicle crash fatalities involved drunk drivers. The early hours of March 18 didn’t fare much better. Between midnight and 5:59 a.m., nearly three-fourths (69 percent) of all crash fatalities involved drunk drivers. From 2012 to 2016, almost two-fifths (38 percent) of the drunk-driving fatalities during this holiday period involved drivers who had blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) well above the .08 limit, with 269 drunk-driving fatalities total. Drivers should also keep an eye out for pedestrians who have had too much to drink. Walking while intoxicated can also be deadly, as lack of attention to their surroundings could put pedestrians at risk of getting hit by a vehicle.
“We are asking our community’s drivers to work with us to end drunk driving,” said Bentz. “There are too many safe alternatives to get you home safely. Think before you act.”
Police recommends the following safe alternatives to drinking and driving:
* Always remember to plan ahead. You know whether you’ll attend a party. If you plan to drink, plan for a sober driver to take you home. Is it your turn to be the designated driver? Take that role seriously-your friends could be relying on you.
* Remember that it is never okay to drink and drive. Even if you’ve only had one alcoholic beverage, designate a sober driver or plan to use public transportation to get home safely.
* Download NHTSA’s SaferRide mobile app, available on Google Play for Android devices and Apple’s iTunes Store for iOS devices. SaferRide allows users to call a taxi or a predetermined friend and identifies the user’s location so he or she can be picked up.
* Use your community’s sober ride program.
* If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact local law enforcement.
* Have a friend who is about to drink and drive? Take the keys away and make arrangements to get them home safely.
For more information about the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign, visit www.TrafficSafetyMarketing.gov.
