CARVER — Chief Marc Duphily and the Carver Police Department urge community members to practice safe and sober driving this St. Patrick’s Day weekend.
St. Patrick’s Day is a popular occasion for drinking, which often leads to more drunk drivers on the road.
According to the NHTSA, during the 2016-2020 St. Patrick’s Day holiday period — 6 p.m. on March 16 to 5:59 a.m. on March 18 — 287 people nationwide were killed in drunk driving crashes. In 2020 alone, 37 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes over the St. Patrick’s Day holiday period.
“The luck of the Irish won’t be on anyone’s side this holiday weekend if they are caught operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol or drugs,” Chief Duphily said. “The Carver Police Department encourages all residents to celebrate responsibly, and make a plan ahead of time for how they will get home safely. Safe driving isn’t about luck, it’s about making the right decisions.”
The Carver Police Department would like to share the following tips:
- Never drive if you have been drinking or are under the influence of drugs.
- Make a plan ahead of time for a sober ride home. Designate a sober driver, or plan to use public transportation or a ride share service.
- Designated drivers should take their role seriously. Refrain from any alcoholic beverages or other drugs.
- Watch out for your family and friends. If someone you know is impaired and planning to drive, take their keys and make arrangements to get them home safely.
- Never get into a vehicle if the driver is impaired.
- If you see an impaired driver on the road, safely pull over and call 911.
- Don’t drive distracted. Before driving, turn your phone off and put it out of reach. If you have to make a call or send a text, pull over.
- Drivers should also keep an eye out for pedestrians who have had too much to drink. Walking while intoxicated can also be deadly; lack of attention to surroundings could put pedestrians at risk of getting hit by a vehicle.
Visit nhtsa.gov for more safe driving information.
The men and women of the Carver Police Department wish everyone a happy and safe St. Patrick’s Day holiday!
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