3/11/2005
Dont test your luck this St. Patricks Day designate a sober driver
BOISE - St. Patricks Day has become a big night out on the town for many Americans, particularly young adults. As part of a nationwide effort, the Idaho Transportation Department joins other safety partners in reminding motorists to designate a sober driver before attending St. Patricks Day festivities that involve alcohol.
Whether youre just meeting friends at the corner pub or attending the local parade or party, if you plan to use alcohol, plan ahead. Never drive drunk and never let your friends drive if you think they are impaired, says Kevin Bechen of ITDs Office of Traffic and Highway Safety.
St. Patricks Day can be a dangerous time to be on the road due to increased numbers of impaired drivers. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 32 percent of all traffic fatalities on the nations highways around St. Patricks Day in 2003 were the result of impaired drivers with blood alcohol content levels of .08 percent and above.
Dont test your luck this St. Patricks Day. Designate a sober driver before the festivities begin, Bechen says.
If you are attending a St. Patricks Day celebration and plan to use alcohol:
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Designate a sober driver before the party begins and give that person your car keys.
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Dont starve yourself before or during the party. Enjoy the food as well as the drink.
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Avoid drinking too much alcohol too fast. Pace yourself eat, take breaks, alternate with non-alcoholic drinks
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If impaired, dont even think about getting behind the wheel. Ask a sober friend for a ride home; call a cab, friend or family member to come and get you; call your local sober rides program; or stay where you are and sleep it off until you are sober.
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Take the keys and never let a friend leave your sight if you think he or she is about to drive while impaired.
If you are hosting a St. Patricks Day party:
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Serve plenty of food particularly high-protein dishes and be sure to include lots of non-alcoholic beverages, desserts and coffee.
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Be sure all of your guests designate their drivers in advance, or help arrange ride-sharing with sober drivers.
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Keep the phone numbers for local cab companies handy, and take the keys away from anyone who is thinking of driving while impaired.
Impaired driving is one of Americas deadliest problems. Nationally, more than 17,000 people died in alcohol-related highway crashes during 2003. Every 30 minutes, nearly 50 times a day, someone in America dies in an alcohol-related crash. Hundreds of thousands more are injured each year. According to NHTSA, about three in every 10 Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash at some point in their lives.