TZD Tuesday - St. Patrick's Day

St. Patrick’s Day can be a fun time of celebration, but it’s important to keep it from becoming a deadly time on Minnesota roads. This means that if you plan to drink any alcoholic beverage, drive smart by planning a sober ride home and not getting behind the wheel.

Alcohol and drug impairment is one of the most dangerous driving behaviors seen on Minnesota roads. There were 397 drunk driving-related traffic deaths in Minnesota in the last five years (2016-2020) with 79 people killed in 2020 alone. Alcohol-related crashes not only take lives, they change them forever. An average of 384 life-changing injuries were caused by alcohol-related crashes in that same period.

TZD Tuesday St. Patrick's Day

Commit to a Sober Ride

  • Plan for a safe ride — designate a sober driver, use public transportation, a cab or app-based ride service, or stay at the location of the party.
  • Speak Up – Offer to be a designated driver or be available to pick up a loved one anytime, anywhere.
  • Buckle up — the best defense against a drunk driver.
  • Report drunk driving — call 911 when witnessing impaired driving behavior. Be prepared to provide location, license plate number and observed dangerous behavior.

If you’ve been drinking, make the right choice to find a sober driver to get you, and your friends, home safely.