BOISE, ID — As St. Patrick’s Day celebrations approach on Tuesday, March 17, transportation safety officials are reminding drivers to plan ahead and avoid drinking and driving.
The Idaho Department of Transportation and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are promoting the message “Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving,” encouraging anyone celebrating the holiday to arrange a sober ride before festivities begin.
According to NHTSA, 38% of traffic fatalities during St. Patrick’s Day holiday periods between 2019 and 2023 involved drunk drivers. In 2023 alone, 63 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes during the holiday period, including 44 crashes involving drivers with blood alcohol concentrations of .15 or higher.
Drivers are encouraged to designate a sober driver, use a taxi or rideshare service, and report suspected impaired drivers to law enforcement.
More information about impaired driving is available at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website.
For more information on impaired driving, visit www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/
