Rockford police to crack down on drunk driving over St. Patrick’s Day weekend

Online Staff Report

Rockford police have announced they will be conducting special patrols this St. Patrick’s Day holiday to crack down on drunk drivers. Unbuckled motorists also will be ticketed.

Police are reminding everyone this weekend to Driver Sober or Get Pulled Over and Click It or Ticket. If you plan on drinking alcohol, designate a sober driver before the party begins.

In addition to looking for drunk drivers, Rockford officers will be stepping up seat belt enforcement, particularly at night when seat belt usage rates are lowest.

If you are hosting a St. Patrick’s Day party:

• Make sure all of your guests designate a sober driver in advance or help arrange ridesharing with other sober drivers;

• Serve food and include non-alcoholic beverages at the party; and

• Keep the phone numbers for local cab companies handy and take the keys away from anyone who is thinking of driving drunk.

If you are attending a St. Patrick’s Day party:

• Designate a sober driver before the party begins and give that person your car keys;

• If you do not have a designated driver, ask a sober friend for a ride home, call a cab, sober friend or family member to pick you up, or just stay where you are and sleep it off until you are sober;

• Never let a friend leave your sight if you think they are about to drive while drunk; and

• Always buckle up — it is still your best defense against a drunk driver.

Driving drunk is a deadly decision and it is against the law. Rockford police are going to show zero tolerance. So, designate a sober driver before the party begins, and always buckle up.

The St. Patrick’s Day Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Crackdown is funded by federal traffic safety funds from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and administered through Illinois Department of Transportation’s Division of Traffic Safety.

Posted March 14, 2013