[Columbia, Maryland]— For many Americans, St. Patrick’s Day has become a popular night out to celebrate with friends and family. Unfortunately, due to the large volume of impaired drivers, the night out has also become very dangerous.
Impaired driving is one of America’s deadliest problems. This St. Patrick’s Day, Maryland’s State Highway Administration (SHA) is teaming up with and providing support to local and state law enforcement agencies to ensure that Maryland’s roads remain safe and free of drunk drivers.
On St. Patrick’s Day 2008, 37 percent of the drivers and motorcyclists involved in fatal crashes had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 or above, according to statistics by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Preliminary estimates show that 200 crashes occurred during St. Patrick’s Day weekend in 2008 killing four people. Additional NHTSA statistics show that in 2009 there were 103 crash fatalities nationwide on St. Patrick’s Day. Out of that number, 47 people were killed in traffic crashes that involved at least one driver or motorcyclist with a BAC of .08 or higher.
Traffic Safety IS Public Safety and that is why the Maryland Chiefs of Police Association, the Maryland Sheriff’s Association, and SHA are encouraging motorists and would-be St. Patrick’s Day revelers to practice personal responsibility when planning their holiday activities. All three agencies also announced their joint efforts with federal, state, and local highway safety and law enforcement officials across the nation to remind all those who plan on celebrating during the St. Patrick’s Day festivities to drink responsibly and not drive after drinking alcohol. Maryland law enforcement will be conducting numerous saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints throughout the weekend leading up to and including St. Patrick’s Day.
“We’re pleased to have the education and outreach support that SHA brings to the table for this historically dangerous weekend,” said Sheriff Gery Hofmann, President of the Maryland Sheriff’s Association. “For those who think they have the luck of the Irish on their side, if you decide to drive drunk, you’ll learn firsthand that our education responsibilities come in the form of handcuffs and jail time.”
Drunk Driving Prevention
Following these easy steps, drivers can enjoy a safe St. Patrick’s Day without jeopardizing their life and the lives of the others who may be on the road.
- Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin;
- Before drinking, please designate a sober driver and give that person your keys;
- If you’re impaired, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation so you are sure to get home safely;
- Utilize Baltimore’s free Tipsy?Taxi! service or DC’s Sober Ride program; more information can be found by calling 1-877-963-TAXI or by going to either www.freecabrides.org or www.soberride.com
- If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to contact your local law enforcement by calling 911 or #77;
- And remember, if you know anyone who is about to drive or ride while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.
“There is no ‘pot of gold at the end of the rainbow’ when it comes to driving while impaired, on the contrary, it will cost you a pot of gold,” said SHA Administrator Neil J. Pedersen. “Our goals this weekend are to keep our highways free from crashes, to stress alternatives to driving drunk and to support the law enforcement officers who deliver the consequences to those who put Maryland motorists at risk.”
“While our officers typically focus on identifying impaired motorists during St. Patrick’s Day weekend, our crash and injury data support the need to focus additional efforts on high volume pedestrian corridors,” said the Maryland Chiefs of Police Association president, Chief Bernie Gerst. “We’re also encouraging motorists to be extra cautious of impaired pedestrians.”
Don’t depend on dumb luck this St. Patrick’s Day. Find a sober ride home before the party begins. Remember – Over The Limit, Under Arrest.
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Planned Statewide Activities To Support the St. Patrick’s Day Enforcement Wave:
- On Wednesday, March 16, members of the Baltimore County, Baltimore City, Harford County, Maryland Transportation Authority, Towson University and Maryland State Police will meet at the Transportation Authority FOP lodge on Wampler Rd in Essex. These Officers will be attending an impaired driving update seminar from 2 – 10 p.m. This update will cover standardized field sobriety testing, legal issues, nystagmus and detection.
On Thursday, March 17, these officers will meet for a two hour wrap up and briefing before conducting a multi-jurisdictional saturation patrol on Eastern Avenue and Pulaski Highway. The briefing, from 7-11 p.m., will include a motivational speech from Ms. Debbie Hardy. Debbie's 13 year old daughter, Janet, was killed in October 2003 by a drunk driver.
- Greenbelt Police Department – Saturation Patrol 8 p.m. – 3 a.m. – Focus will be on state highways (Kenilworth Ave. and Greenbelt Road), which are the major access roads to the bars located in the city.
- Gaithersburg City Police – Saturation Patrols 3 p.m. – 3 a.m. – Focus will be on SHA-owned roadways.
- Cheverly Police Department – Saturation Patrols March 16th, 17th, and 18th 9 p.m.- 3 a.m. – Focus will be on Landover Road and Town of Cheverly.
- Maryland State Police (Forrestville and College Park barracks) – 10 p.m.- 4 a.m. – Operation Centipede will focus on impaired and aggressive drivers on the DC Beltway.
- Prince Georges’ County Police Department – Saturation Patrols and Sobriety Checkpoints 5 p.m. – 3 a.m. – Location unknown
- All Frederick County Law Enforcement Agencies - Sobriety Checkpoint 10 p.m.- 12 a.m.
- All Carroll County Law Enforcement Agencies - Sobriety Checkpoint 10 p.m. – 1 a.m. – Focus will be near MD 140 and Market Street
- Charles County Sheriff’s Office - Sobriety Checkpoint 8 p.m. – 12 a.m. Immediately following will be a saturation patrol consisting of 20 officers throughout the county.
- Anne Arundel County Police Department – Sobriety Checkpoint 8 p.m.- 12 a.m. Locations unknown
- Salisbury Police Department, Wicomico County Sheriff’s Office and the Fruitland Police Department – Saturation Patrol 10 p.m.- 3 a.m. – Locations unknown
- The Office of the Sheriff for Queen Anne’s County will be conducting saturation patrols during the evening hours in addition to “R.A.A.M.” enforcement (Reducing Alcohol Availability to Minors) to address underage drinking.