The beer may be green on St. Patrick’s Day but drinking and driving is still a black-and-white issue as far as the law is concerned.
The California Highway Patrol announced Sunday that extra officers will be on the lookout for impaired drivers Monday as part of the CHP’s continuing efforts to curb drunken driving. The additional patrols with officers working overtime are funded by grants from the state Office of Traffic Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The CHP message is simple: Party responsibly and plan to have a designated driver if you expect to be consuming alcohol as part of your celebrating.
“All we are asking is for people to do the responsible thing; plan ahead,” CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow said. “Have someone who won’t be drinking do the driving, take public transportation or make plans to spend the night where you are celebrating.”
Last year during St. Patrick’s Day weekend, 16 people were killed and 304 injured in DUI-involved collisions statewide. The CHP alone made 1,250 DUI arrests.
“This is about saving lives, not about how many people we can arrest,” Farrow said. “Do your part. Don’t drink and drive.”