Tomorrow is St. Patrick’s Day. That means that no matter what our heritage the rest of the year, everyone is a little bit Irish this week. It also means many celebrations on Thursday night involving lots of alcohol.
Like New Year’s Eve and Super Bowl Sunday, This holiday always manages to cause a spike in drunk-driving car accidents and DUI Arrests. Therefore, police are getting ready to step up enforcement.
A Sheriff from Milwaukee County announced this week that police will be increasing their presence on the roads from 6:00 a.m. Thursday morning through 3:00 a.m. Friday morning. There will be an additional 137 police officers on duty from 13 other cities to catch drunk drivers during this time.
So what are drinkers to do? That answer is easy. With so many free transportation options there is no excuse to get behind the wheel.
MillerCoors will once again be sponsoring free rides starting at 6:00 p.m on Thursday. This program is in partnership with the Milwaukee County Transit System. Some bars offer additional options for free rides home.
If you are unable to take advantage of free bus rides in Milwaukee there are a number of other options. As always, cabs and designated drivers are a reliable solution to make sure that everyone gets home safely.
The trick is to plan ahead. You should know how you are going to get home before you head out to celebrate. Try to get a ride to the bar so that you aren’t tempted to drive home drunk. You also won’t need to pick up your car later.
The convenience of driving yourself home is not worth risking lives or possible DUI penalties. St. Patrick’s Day is always a great excuse to celebrate, but we all need to be smart. Remember to stay safe and have a happy St. Patrick’s Day.
Source: 620 WTMJ News Radio online, “Sheriff Ramps Up St. Patrick’s Day Patrols,” Jay Sorgi, 15 March 2011