Contributed photo
Contributed photo
Mount Prospect Police are cracking down on drivers who may be celebrating too heartily on St. Patrick's Day.
Units will be out in force today to pull over those who have indulged too heavily while celebrating the holiday that celebrates imbibing. More than 10,000 people annually are killed in the U.S. in preventable accidents from drunk driving.
“The Mount Prospect Police Department will be on patrol this St. Patrick’s Day, so make sure you obey the law,” Crime Prevention Officer Greg Sill said. “Don’t drink and drive, and don’t let your friends do it, either. Before celebrating St. Patrick’s Day this year, decide whether you’ll drink or you’ll drive. If you choose to drink, designate a sober, reliable driver to get you home safely from the party. If you’re planning on driving, don’t drink. The last thing you want is to ride to jail with a cop.”
Party hosts should plan for friends to sleep over and get sober until morning or arrange for taxis to take inebriated guests home. In addition, while walking to the party, home or to the store, watch out for the other guy. Drunk drivers rarely see pedestrians. Never assume that because the walk signal is on that it is safe to cross the street. Sober drivers should also watch for pedestrians who have had too much to drink; they are unpredictable and may walk out in front of cars.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration funds the St. Patrick’s Day “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” Crackdown. It is administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation.
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