Deputies Plan St. Paddy's Day DUII Patrols (Photo)

JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. – If your St. Patrick’s Day celebration includes alcohol, don’t rely on luck – make a plan now to help keep the roads safe for everyone.  Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) deputies will be adding patrols over the weekend to look for impaired drivers.

The 2019 St. Patrick’s Day patrols will run from March 15 to 18.  Grant funding allows JCSO to put extra deputies on the road to enforce impaired driving laws without taking away from response to normal calls for service.  It is part of the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign sponsored by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA). 

According to NHTSA, St. Patrick’s Day is one of the deadliest holidays on our nation’s roads. During the 2013 – 2017 St. Patrick’s Day holiday period (6 p.m. March 16 to 5:59 a.m. March 18), 234 lives were lost due to drunk-driving crashes.

Deputies say prevention is the key -- plan ahead to avoid driving while impaired:

• DRINK OR DRIVE: Once you know where you'll celebrate, decide whether you're drinking or driving – choose only one and stick to it.
• WEED WARNING: Even though the recreational use of marijuana is legal for adults in Oregon, it is not legal (or safe) to drive while impaired by the drug.
• GETTING AROUND: Before you head out, know how you’re getting home. If you're the designated driver, don't drink. If you're impaired and your ride falls through, use a taxi or rideshare service, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation to get home safely.
• PASSENGERS, TOO: Drivers aren't the only ones at risk. Only accept a ride from a sober driver.
• HELP A FRIEND: If you know someone who is about to drive while impaired, help them to make other transportation arrangements or offer them a place to stay.
• SAY SOMETHING: If you suspect an impaired driver on the roadway, call 911 immediately.

For more information on the NHTSA Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign, go to the NHTSA website at https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving#view-campaign .

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