St. Patrick’s Day is associated with many things: Ireland, the color green, parades — and lots of drinking.
Aware that the holiday and alcohol consumption often go hand in hand, local law enforcement agencies have been conducting initiatives over the weekend that target impaired drivers. Efforts include officers saturating high-traffic areas and police conducting sobriety checkpoints.
Some law enforcement agencies in the D.C. area made more drunken driving arrests on St. Patrick’s Day last year than they did in 2011. Additionally, the Washington Regional Alcohol Program had a record number of people use its St. Patrick’s Day SoberRide service, which provides residents 21 and over a free taxi ride home worth up to $30.
| Get a SoberRide |
| > For a free taxi ride home (worth up to $30) between 4 p.m. Sunday and 4 a.m. Monday, call 800-200-TAXI (8294). |
Officials had thought that increases in arrests and people seeking SoberRides last year could have been connected to the fact that the holiday fell on a Saturday with good weather. Because St. Patrick’s Day falls on a weekend again this year, officials think there may be more people out celebrating Sunday than there would be on a St. Patrick’s Day that falls on a weekday.
“The holiday falling on the weekend provides more opportunities [for drinking and driving],” said Montgomery County police spokeswoman Officer Janelle Smith.
Since St. Patrick’s Day last year, penalties for drunken-driving convictions in the area have gotten stiffer. In Virginia, anyone convicted of driving under the influence now has to have an ignition interlock device on his or her vehicle in order to get a restricted driver’s license. Such devices will let the vehicle start only if the driver’s breath-alcohol concentration is below the legal limit. In the District, the maximum fines and jail time for first-offenders has increased.
“There’s every reason now to avoid a DUI,” said Kurt Erickson, WRAP’s president.
Prince George’s County police spokesman Lt. Bill Alexander said he hopes publicity about DUI enforcement efforts will help deter people from driving drunk.
“We’d much prefer to prevent the criminal action than arrest someone after the fact,” he said.
Authorities recommend that those planning to spend Sunday drinking at bars designate a sober driver in advance or call a friend, family member or taxi when they want to head home.
The SoberRide service will be operating from 4 p.m. Sunday to 4 a.m. Monday. People seeking to use the service can call 800-200-TAXI (8294).
