James City County Police have a simple message for those planning to drink in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day on Sunday: Plan ahead to avoid driving.
A news release from James City County said officers will be on high alert for anyone who gets behind the wheel after drinking as part of the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign. That campaign, sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, is an effort to curtail drunken driving by alerting the public to some of the sobering statistics associated with the act.
For example, more than 700 people were killed nationwide by drunken drivers on St. Patrick’s Day from 2006 to 2010. Nearly 10,000 people are killed annually — that’s one fatality around every 51 minutes, according to NHTSA statistics.
[stextbox id=”news-sidebar” caption=”Master Police Officer Sten’s Tips:” float=”true” align=”right” width=”275″ bwidth=”0″]
- Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin
- Before drinking, designate a sober driver and leave your car keys at home
- If you’re impaired, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family m ember, or use public transportation to get home safely
- If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact local police
- And remember, if you know someone who is about to drive a car or ride a motorcycle while impaired, take the keys and help that person make other arrangements to get where he or she is going safely
[/stextbox]
“Whether you are gathering with friends at the local pub or attending a party, if alcohol is part of the festivities, make sure you designate a sober driver to get you home safely,” said JCC Master Police Officer Leslie Sten in the release.
The legal limit in Virginia to drive or operate any vehicle, engine or train is a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or more. Other blood limits enshrined in state law are .02 milligrams of cocaine per liter of blood, 0.1 milligrams of methamphetamine per liter of blood, .01 milligrams of phencyclidine per liter of blood and 0.1 milligrams of meth per liter of blood.
In Virginia, those with DUI convictions are prohibited from driving a vehicle not equipped with an ignition interlock system that require one to prove he or she has not been drinking before starting the vehicle.
