SAN FRANCISCO—The San Francisco Police Department is asking people to be cautious when celebrating the festivities for St. Patrick’s Day on Monday, March 17 by designating a sober driver. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicates that more than 269 people were killed nationwide in crashed that took place because of drunk drivers on St. Patrick’s Day between 2007 and 2001, according to a press release from the SFPD. St. Patrick’s Day has become a national drinking holiday for many.
In 2011, the NHTSA indicated that one person was killed every 53 minutes because of a drunk driver in the U.S. In most of these collisions, the impaired drivers had a blood alcohol concentrations of .15 or higher, nearly twice the legal limit of .08.
The SF Avoid DUI Task Force will be out deploying a sobriety checkpoint on Saturday, March 15 between the hours of 8:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Roving DUI saturation patrols will take place on Monday, March 17 from 8:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. SF Police Officers will be stopping and arresting officers who are impaired or under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
“When you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, just be smart about it. If you know you’re going to drink—whether with friends at a pub or attending a party — designate a sober driver ahead of time or call a taxi to make sure you get home safely,” said Sergeant John Bragagnolo, San Francisco Police Traffic Division. “There’s never an excuse for driving after drinking.”
Sergeant Bragagnolo recommends the following steps to have a safe and happy St. Patrick’s Day:
– Before the festivities begin, plan a way to safely get home at the end of the night.
– Before drinking, designate a sober driver and leave your car keys at home.
– If you’re impaired, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation to get home safely.
– If you see a drunk driver on the road, Report Them! Call 9-1-1! You could save a life
The police department is urging people who are aware of friends who are attempting to drive drunk to take their keys from them and ensure they have arrangements to safely get to their designated location. The Task Force is funded through a grant by the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The Avoid DUI Task Force will next deploy operations on Cinco de Mayo.
By LaDale Anderson
