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St Patrick’s Day, March 17, is one of the biggest drinking nights of the year, according to the Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau and the Iowa Department of Public Safety.
Unfortunately, drunk driving accounts for nearly one-third of vehicle-related fatalities in the United States. Nationally, in 2018 alone, 73 persons (39 percent of all crash fatalities) were killed in drunk-driving crashes over the St Patrick’s Day holiday period and 33 percent of the pedestrians aged 16 and older killed in crashes had a blood alcohol concentration at or above .08. In 2019 in Iowa, there were two crashes that killed four people over the holiday.
To combat the increased impaired driving around the holiday, local law agencies will step up traffic enforcement March 14-17. Officers will particularly be watching for drunk and drugged drivers and anyone not wearing seat belts.
“Drinking and driving should never be combined. It’s essential to plan a sober ride in advance if the holiday celebration will include alcohol. The alternative could change your life, not to mention the lives of your passengers, pedestrians, or other drivers and passengers nearby. Celebrate St Patrick’s Day responsibly,” stated a press release from Jefferson police captain Heath Enns.
