St. Patrick’s Day is one of our nation’s most popular holidays, celebrated with festivals, parades, and parties. These celebrations frequently feature themed cocktails and green pints, and the amount of alcohol consumed on this holiday is higher than average. People are more likely to make poor decisions as a result, including driving while intoxicated.
To spread the message about the dangers of drunk driving and to help keep your community’s streets safe, our Community Traffic Safety Program is teaming up with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and PennDOT.
Remember before and throughout the celebrations: Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving!
Drunk drivers are a continuing problem on our roads, especially around days like St. Patrick’s Day. People need to know that they can go out for a night of fun and return home safely by ensuring they have a sober driver take them home. Don’t be the reason someone – including yourself – doesn’t get home. Please plan to celebrate responsibly. That should begin even before you go out to celebrate by deciding who will be your sober designated driver or whether you’ll be using a ride-sharing service, public transit or taxi.
No one should mix drinking and driving, and no one is immune to the effects of drunk driving. If you find yourself drunk and stranded with your vehicle, give your keys to a sober driver who can safely drive you home. Remind your friends to never get in the vehicle with a drunk driver. If you have a friend who is about to drive drunk, take away their keys and help them get home safely. Don’t worry about offending someone — you might be saving their life, or someone else’s. Always have a plan before you head out for the evening. If you wait until after you’ve been drinking to figure out how to get from one place to the next, you may already be too impaired to make the right choices.
For more information about the Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving campaign visit www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving
