St.
Patrick’s Day is One of the Deadliest Days of the Year Because of Drunk Driving
Arcadia, Ca—St. Patrick's Day brings to mind shamrocks, leprechauns, pots of
gold, and good luck. But no amount of luck can save you from a drunk-driving
crash. So whether you’re buzzed or drunk on St. Patrick’s Day, it doesn’t
matter. NHTSA wants to remind everyone that Buzzed
Driving Is Drunk Driving—drive sober.
The Arcadia Police
Department will be deploying a roving DUI patrol this St. Patrick’s Day looking
to stop and arrest drivers who are impaired by alcohol or drugs. This dedicated DUI patrol, in addition to
regularly scheduled patrol officers, are all looking for the tell-tale signs of
an impaired driver behind the wheel.
In 2013, there were 31 people
killed in drunk-driving crashes on St. Patrick’s Day. All in all, during the
St. Patty’s Day period from 2009 to 2013, there have been 276 drunk-driving
fatalities. Every one of those lives was lost because of bad decisions.
Unfortunately, March 17 has become a deadly day in the United States, with a dramatic
spike in drunk-driving fatalities. And we’re not just talking about a little
bit too much to drink here; from 2009 to 2013, almost three-fourths of the
drunk-driving fatalities on St. Patrick’s Day involved drivers who were twice the legal limit.
The Arcadia Police
Department offered this advice to party-goers: “Get ahead of the decision this year. If you know you’re going to
celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with alcohol, then figure out a plan ahead of time
for how you’ll get home. Don’t wait until you’re too buzzed to decide, and
don’t let your friends drive drunk.” Buzzed
Driving Is Drunk Driving, so if you have anything to drink, count on a
sober friend, taxi, or public transportation to drive you home safely. Not
drinking? Maybe this St. Patrick’s Day, you’ll be the saint who drives your
friends sober. Let’s
make 2015 different. Use this party-planning checklist to stay safe this St.
Patrick’s Day.
- DDVIP: The California Office of Traffic Safety DDVIP app
is now available for free download on iOS and Android devices. Launched
last year the new DDVIP app offers enhanced features, allowing users to
“Map a Spot” with their current location to find DDVIP partnering
establishments in their area or a “List of Spots” to search all
participating bars and restaurants throughout California. Users can stay
up-to-date with the latest from DDVIP and see what other users are saying
via its social tab. Also through the app, for those who want to imbibe but
also make it a point to plan ahead, users can easily order a sober ride
from Uber, Lyft or Curb – all from one screen.
- NOW: Even if you don’t have plans yet, plan to drive
sober or designate someone else to. Save the number of a taxi company in
your phone so you always have a backup plan.
- WHEN YOU MAKE PLANS: A sober driver is an essential part
of any party plan. Once you know where you’ll celebrate, decide whether
you’re drinking or driving. You
can only choose one.
- ON ST. PATRICK’S DAY: Before you take your first sip of
green beer, leave your keys at home or give them to a friend. If you’re
the designated driver, don’t drink. Enjoy non-alcoholic beverages and brag
about your VIP (very important partygoer) status online using the hashtag
#designateddriver. Only drive sober or ride with a sober driver.
- EVERY DAY: If you’re impaired, use a taxi, call a sober
friend or family member, or use public transportation to get home safely.
If you know people who are about to drive or ride while impaired, take
their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are
going safely.
- DRUGS, MEDICATION & ALCOHOL= CRASHES: Recent statistics reveal that 30 percent
of drivers in fatal crashes had one or more drugs in their systems. A study of active drivers showed more
tested positive for drugs that may impair driving (14 percent) than did
for alcohol (7.3 percent). Of the
drugs, marijuana was most prevalent, at 7.4 percent, slightly more than
alcohol.
Funding is
provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), through
the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that reminds everyone to
‘Report Drunk Drivers! Call 9-1-1.’ Stay connected with OTS via: http://www.facebook.com/CaliforniaOTS,
http://twitter.com/#!/OTS_CA, www.ots.ca.gov
Don’t forget to visit the Arcadia Police
Department News & Information Blog or follow us on Facebook, Twitter or
Nixle for other pertinent news and information.
Remember, the solution begins with you!
Robert T. Guthrie
Chief
of Police
By: Kollin Cieadlo
Traffic
Sergeant
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