This St. Patrick's Day, Don't Rely on the Luck of the Irish: Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving

St. Patrick's Day is one of the most popular holidays in the United States. Irish Americans and many St. Patrick's Day well-wishers will celebrate this weekend with friendly pinches, bangers n' mash and green beer. Sadly, all this celebration often leads to dangerous driving behavior when party-goers head home.

Nationwide in 2016, 60 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes over the St. Patrick's Day holiday period (6 p.m. Saturday, March 16, to 5:59 a.m. on Sunday, March 18). The act of drinking and driving can take someone forever from their friends and loved ones forever. For this reason, Fremont County law enforcement officers are working to spread the message about the dangers of drunk driving. Even one drink can be one too many. If you're heading out for the St. Patrick's Day festivities, plan ahead and remember: Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving.  

St. Patrick's Day has become a dangerous holiday on our nation's roads. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), during the 2016 St. Patrick's Day holiday period, 39 percent of motor vehicle crash fatalities involved drunk drivers. The early hours of the day after the 2016 St. Patrick's Day didn't fare much better. Between midnight and 5:59 a.m., 69 percent of crash fatalities involved drunk drivers. In fact, from 2012 to 2016, almost 38 percent of the drunk-driving fatalities during this holiday period involved drivers who had blood alcohol concentrations well above the .08 limit, with 269 drunk-driving fatalities. Drivers should also keep an eye out for pedestrians who have had too much to drink. Walking while intoxicated can also be deadly, as lack of attention to their surroundings could put pedestrians at risk of getting hit by a vehicle.

"Please, plan before you head out for St. Patrick's Day," said Noel Cooper, executive director of Injury Prevention Resources in Riverton. "Consider being the sober designated driver for your friends. If you are planning to drink, plan for a safe ride home. There are too many safe alternatives to choose otherwise. Think before you act."

Fremont County law enforcement officers recommend these safe alternatives to drinking and driving:

• First: Plan ahead. If you plan to drink, plan for a sober driver to take you home. Is it your turn to be the designated driver? Take that role seriously-your friends are relying on you.
• Remember that it is never okay to drink and drive. Even if you've only had one alcoholic beverage, designate a sober driver or plan to use public transportation, a cab or Rideshare to get home safely. 
• Download the Drive Sober Wyoming mobile app at http://www.wygcid.org/Smart_Phone_App.html
• If you see a drunk driver on the road, call Fremont County Law Enforcement at 332-5611 or 856-7200.
• See someone who is about to drink and drive? Take the keys away and plan to get them home safely. Don't worry about offending someone-they'll thank you later.

Along with this enhanced enforcement effort, the Wyoming Highway Patrol is urging drivers to help keep Wyoming's roadways safe by calling the Report Every Drunk Driver Immediately (REDDI) hotline number at 1-800-442-9090 to report suspected drunk drivers. Callers should be prepared to provide the dispatcher with a description of the vehicle, its location, and direction of travel.

As of this release, there have been 12 traffic deaths in Wyoming in 2018, compared to 15 at this time last year.