The Sacramento Police Department will be hosting AVOID the15 this weekend to help keep the streets safe this St. Patrick’s Day weekend. We are encouraging people to drink responsibly and designate a sober driver before heading to a local celebration or pub.

On Saturday, March 14, 2009, Avoid the 15 will be having a special DUI saturation patrol in the City of Sacramento to stop and arrest those who drink and drive. The AVOID anti-DUI program brings law enforcement agencies together in a countywide effort to crack down on drinking and driving. Funding for the program is provided by the Office of Traffic Safety.

The number one killer on our highways is the impaired driver. In 2007, alcohol attributed to 1,489 deaths in California with 30,641 injured, many still suffering with life-long disabilities. Statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration show that over the past five years, 851 people lost their lives in motor vehicle crashes during the St. Patrick’s Day holiday. Out of that number, 327 were killed in crashes that involved a drunk driver or motorcycle rider with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher.

If you plan on drinking, don’t rely on the luck of the Irish this St. Patrick’s Day, to keep you safe or to keep you out of trouble. Be responsible and take appropriate precautions.