As St. Patrick’s Day festivities are being planned throughout Ohio, the Ohio Department of Public Safety (ODPS) is reminding all motorists that designating a sober driver before the fun begins is the best way to keep your luck running strong.

“St. Patrick’s Day is supposed to be a time to celebrate Irish heritage and gather with friends, but it can quickly end in tragedy due to impaired driving,” said ODPS Director Henry Guzmán. “If you plan on drinking, don’t rely on luck to keep you safe or keep you out of trouble. Be responsible and take appropriate precautions.”

Preliminary statistics for 2008 show that there were 261 alcohol-related crashes, resulting in nine deaths, on Ohio’s roads from March 14 through the 18 – the time frame directly leading up to and including St. Patrick’s Day. Over the past five years, 851 people have lost their lives to drunk driving crashes over the St. Patrick’s Day holiday nationwide.

To prevent deaths and injuries, ODPS is partnering with local law enforcement and safety advocates around the state to increase enforcement on Ohio’s roads and remind people to plan ahead to designate a sober driver. This St. Patrick’s Day, more than 65 law enforcement agencies will be increasing their patrols or conducting sobriety checkpoints, logging in more than 4,000 hours of enforcement through federal grants provided by ODPS’ Ohio Traffic Safety Office. The Ohio State Highway Patrol will have a visible presence on the state’s highways and Ohio Investigative Unit (OIU) agents will be doing compliance checks in permit establishments as well as working with local law enforcement.

ODPS and its partners want everyone to enjoy the St. Patrick’s Day holiday, but strongly recommend taking appropriate steps in advance to avoid the serious consequences of driving impaired. Impaired driving not only increases your chances of a crash that may cause death or serious injury, but can also lead to trauma and the financial cost of a crash or arrest. For bars and establishments, over-serving or serving underage could also mean costly fines, suspension or revocation of their liquor permit.

OIU and other safety partners have been working to educate motorists and establishment owners of these consequences in advance by passing out St. Patrick’s Day coasters reminding people of the dangers of driving impaired and that over-serving is against the law.

Plan before the festivities begin and follow these simple tips to keep yourself and others safe:

• Designate a sober driver; have a family member or friend who knows in advance you will be calling for a ride home; or call a cab.
• If you see someone about to drive impaired, take their keys and help them find a safe alternative.
• If you see an impaired driver on the roadway, call law enforcement immediately. Call 1-877-7-PATROL on state highways.
• Always buckle up – it’s still your best defense against impaired drivers.

If you are a bar or establishment owner or employee and have questions about over-serving or other liquor-permit related issues, contact one of OIU’s regional offices. Contact information is listed online at: http://investigativeunit.ohio.gov/. OIU offers free instruction on laws pertaining to the sale and/or consumption of alcohol and tobacco. Agents also cover topics such as false identification, employment of minors, along with penalties for those found in violation.