Lake Elsinore Police Department has plans to step up efforts to keep drunk drivers off of the road this St. Patrick’s Day weekend.
The green-themed Irish holiday is popular among the public and is typically celebrated by drinking beer and other spirits.
The Lake Elsinore Police Department plans to have extra officers on overtime while keeping their eyes peeled for impaired drivers throughout the upcoming holiday weekend, officials reported.
Officers will be taking a “zero tolerance” approach toward drunk drivers who don’t use a designated sober driver.
Over the St. Patrick’s Day holiday last year, three people died and 96 were seriously injured in car accidents across California involving at least one driver or motorcyclist with a BAC of .08 percent or higher, according to stats compiled by the California Office of Traffic Safety, a Riverside County Sheriff’s report stated.
Law enforcement officials recommend the following easy steps for a safe St. Patrick’s Day:
- Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin and designate a sober driver.
- Use your community’s sober ride program.
- If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, don’t hesitate to report them – Call 911!
- And remember, if you know people who are about to drive or ride while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.
Stephanie D. Schulte is a writer/photographer with SWRNN. She can be reached at stephanie.schulte@swrnn.com
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