THP Urges Motorists to Drive Responsibly this St. Patrick’s Day

Friday, March 13, 2009 | 11:40am

Don’t Rely on the Luck of the Irish - Designate a Sober Driver

NASHVILLE --- The Tennessee Department of Safety reminds residents to designate a sober driver and don’t rely on luck this St. Patrick’s Day.  Tennessee Highway Patrol Troopers will conduct nearly 40 sobriety and driver license checkpoints across the state in an effort to get impaired drivers off the road. The official St. Patrick’s Day holiday begins at 6:00 p.m., March 16, 2009, and runs through 6:59 a.m. on March 18, 2009.

“St. Patrick’s Day is a popular night for many people to celebrate with friends,” said Department of Safety Commissioner Dave Mitchell. “Unfortunately, it is also a dangerous night due to impaired drivers. Don’t rely on the luck of the Irish. Act responsibly and use a designated driver or sober friend to get you home from the celebration.”

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 851 people were killed in vehicle crashes over the past five years on St. Patrick’s Day, and nearly 40 percent of those crashes involved a drunk driver. In Tennessee, 12 people were killed in 11 fatal crashes during the 2008 St. Patrick’s Day weekend, and 5 of those crashes involved alcohol. 
 
“If you decide to drink and drive, know that State Troopers will be out in force looking for you,” added THP Colonel Mike Walker. “Buzzed driving is drunk driving. If you get caught, you will go to jail, and a pot of gold and a little jig won’t help you.” 
 
A driver convicted of DUI can face up to 48 hours in jail and the loss of driving privileges for up to a year for a first offense. The associated costs of driving impaired also include attorney fees, court costs, reinstatement fees and higher insurance premiums. There’s also the risk of paying the worst cost of all—your life or the life of someone else.   
 
A list of safe driving tips are below. Scheduled checkpoints and statistics for 2000-2008 St. Patrick’s Day Holiday are available as attachments (listed below this release).
 
The Tennessee Department of Safety’s mission is (www.tennessee.gov/safety) to ensure the safety and general welfare of the public. The department encompasses the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Office of Homeland Security and Driver License Services. General areas of responsibility include law enforcement, safety education, motorist services and terrorism prevention.   
 
 
 
SAFE ST. PATRICK’S DAY DRIVING TIPS
 
  • Plan Ahead. If you’ll be drinking, arrange a safe way home before the festivities begin.
  • Before drinking, designate a sober driver and give that person your keys.
  • If you’re impaired, call a taxi, use public transportation, or call a sober friend or family member to get you home safely.
  • Use the local Sober Ride program.
  • If you see a drunk driver on the road, promptly contact your local law enforcement agency (Dial *THP)
  • Remember, Friends Don’t Let Friends Drive Drunk. If you or someone who is about to drive or ride with someone who is impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.
  • Drunk driving violators often face jail time, the loss of their driver license, higher insurance rates, and dozens of other unanticipated expenses, ranging from attorney fees, court costs, car towing and repairs and lost wages due to time off from work.
  • And remember, the tragedies and costs of driving drunk are serious and real. Not only do you risk killing yourself or someone else, but the trauma and financial costs of a crash or an arrest for drunk driving are significant.
  • Of Tennessee’s 1,211 fatalities in 2007, 390 (32%) occurred in crashes involving one or more drivers with an illegal BAC (0.08+).
 
 
Alcohol Impaired Driving Related Fatalities, Tennessee
 
2003
2004
2005
2006
2007
Fatalities
1,193
1,339
1,270
1,284
1,211
Driver BAC = 0.08+
370
439
376
414
390
Percent
31%
33%
30%
32%
32%
Source: TN Dept of Safety, Office of Research, Statistics, and Analysis, 11 Mar 2009.
 
  

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