Holiday Traffic Enforcement Project for St. Patrick's Day

St. Patrick’s Day is March 17th and law enforcement throughout the state consistently see a spike in drunk-driving crashes on this date every year.  In order to make Iowa roads safer all across the state, the Iowa Governor’s Traffic Safety Bureau is sponsoring a heightened traffic enforcement project around St. Patrick’s Day.  

St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in America date back to the country’s founding. While this year’s celebration may look a little different in your hometown, however you celebrate, make sure you and your friends stay safe this St. Paddy’s Day by remembering one important piece of advice: Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving. This means that if you plan to drink any alcoholic beverage, it’s essential that you plan for a sober designated driver beforehand. To help keep your community safe, the Cedar Rapids Police Department is teaming up with the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to spread the message about the dangers of drunk driving. Even one drink can be one too many. 

According to NHTSA, 10,142 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes in 2019. On average, more than 10,000 people were killed each year from 2015 to 2019 — one person was killed in a drunk-driving crash every 52 minutes in 2019. This is why the Cedar Rapids Police Department is working with NHTSA to remind drivers that drunk driving is not only illegal, it is a matter of life and death. As you head out to the festivities, help us spread the word: Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving. 

During the 2019 St. Patrick’s Day weekend alone (6 p.m. March 16 to 5:59 a.m. March 18), more than three out of five (63%) crash fatalities involved a drunk driver. In fact, from 2015 to 2019, a total of 280 lives were lost in drunk-driving crashes during the St. Patrick’s Day period. 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. 

In Cedar Rapids on March 17-18, 2019, Cedar Rapids Police officers arrested 12 individuals for operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. 

When driving a motor vehicle, you need total concentration, good coordination, rapid reflexes and you need to be able to make correct judgments and decisions.  Drinking alcohol can have a profound effect on driving skills. 

Download the NHTSA app, “SaferRide” before going out to celebrate.  The app will allow users to call a taxi or designated friend for a ride home by just identifying their location. 

For Android devices, from Google Play store:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nhtsa.SaferRide

For Apple devices, from iTunes:

https://itunes.apple.com/usapp/saferride/id950774008?mt=8