BOISE, Idaho — St. Patrick's Day falls on Sunday this year, marking Saturday night as a night of festivities and fun. Not all is rainbows and pots of gold, however. If you plan on drinking, don't test your Irish luck, get a sober ride home.
Idaho State Police (ISP) is urging the importance of arranging a sober ride home on St. Patrick's Day. From March 14-18, law enforcement from across the state will be teaming up with Idaho Transportation Department's Office of Highway Safety to boost patrols and discourage drunk driving.
"Taking a moment to plan for a sober ride can make all the difference in ensuring a safe celebration for everyone," emphasizes ISP Lieutenant Colonel Sheldon Kelley. "Don't tempt fate on St. Patrick's Day; get a sober ride home."
As reported by ISP, St. Patrick's Day has tragically become one of the deadliest times on our country's roads. In a report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in the years 2017-2021, 272 people died in drunk driving related accidents during this holiday period.
At the state level, in 2022, the Office of Highway Safety reported 1, 799 impaired driving crashes happened in Idaho, with 110 lives lost. During this time, law enforcement made 7,781 DUI arrests, according to ISP. These numbers are throughout the entire year but highlight the importance of getting a sober ride on St. Patrick's Day.
Fighting drunk driving is a collective effort and responsibility. If a friend insists on driving under the influence, stop them and help them find a sober ride.
The funding of additional patrols has been made possible through a grant from the Office of Highway Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
For more information about how to prevent impaired driving, visit ShiftIdaho.org.
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