Don’t test your luck this St. Patrick’s Day, plan for a sober ride home

BONNERS FERRY — As St. Patrick’s Day nears, the Bonners Ferry Police Department reminds those celebrating to make plans for a sober ride home. March 16-19 BFPD joins law enforcement agencies statewide to increase patrols for impaired driving.

This year St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Friday and that means more parties throughout the weekend. Make the smart choice to plan for a sober driver to get you and your friends and family home safely.

Nationally, St. Patrick’s Day is one of the deadliest times on the road. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, during the 2016-2020 St. Patrick’s Day holiday period, 287 lives were lost in drunk driving crashes.

Here in Idaho there were 1,729 impaired driving crashes killing 108 people during 2021. Law enforcement agencies across the state made 7,448 DUI arrests in the same year.

While officers are always keeping an eye out for impaired drivers, it takes commitment from the entire community to prevent dangerous drivers from causing crashes. If a friend tries to drive drunk, step in and take away the keys, and if it is your turn to be the designated driver, take the job seriously and don’t drink.

Funding for extra patrols focused on impaired driving enforcement this St. Patrick’s Day is provided by a grant through the Idaho Office of Highway Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

More impaired driving prevention materials are available online at shift-idaho.org/beheretomorrow/.