St. Patrick’s Day celebrations will be taking place throughout Ohio on Wednesday (March 17th). The Ohio State Highway Patrol is urging those who are planning on celebrating St. Patrick’s Day to designate a sober driver. The Patrol and local law enforcement will work together to remove impaired drivers from the roadways as part of the National Highway Safety Administration’s Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving campaign.
Over the last five years, there were a total of 18 people killed in 14 fatal crashes. Of those fatal crashes, seven were a result of impaired driving, resulting in 10 deaths. Additionally, 147 people were injured on St. Patrick’s Day due to OVI-related crashes. The Patrol made 691 OVI arrests on St. Patrick’s Day from 2016 to 2020.
“The popularity of the holiday and the associated consumption of alcohol make it a dangerous time to travel on Ohio’s roadways,” said Colonel Richard S. Fambro, Patrol superintendent. “We want to encourage all motorists to plan ahead before they start celebrating.”
In the last five years, impaired driving accounted for 254 crashes on St. Patrick’s Day.
As always, motorists are encouraged to dial #677 to report drug activity or impaired drivers.