CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – St. Patrick’s Day 2025 celebrations will take place
across the country on and around Monday, March 17. The U.S. Department of
Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and
the Chattanooga Police Department (CPD) urge drivers to remember that
drinking and driving is deadly and never an option. Join NHTSA and CPD
in sharing this message: Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving.
Every year, alcohol-impaired driving casts a shadow over the festive spirit
of St. Patrick’s Day by taking the lives of community and family members
across America. According to NHTSA, 38% (290) of the traffic fatalities
that occurred during the St. Patrick’s Day holidays (6 p.m. March 16–5:59
a.m. March 18) between 2018-2022 involved drunk drivers. In 2022 alone,
there were 74 drunk-driving fatalities during the St. Patrick’s Day
holiday, of which 49 involved drivers with a blood alcohol level of almost
twice the legal limit (.15+ BAC). In 2022 drivers ages 21-34 (34%) were the
age group most involved in alcohol-impaired-driving fatalities during this
holiday, followed by drivers under 21 (30%). The rates of passenger car
drivers and motorcyclists involved in these fatal drunk-driving crashes
were 34% and 41%, respectively.
“Embracing St. Patrick’s Day and its traditions is one thing; engaging in
the deadly behavior that is drinking and driving is another. Feeling buzzed
and getting behind the wheel puts lives at risk,” reminds DUI Supervisor,
Sergeant Casey Cleveland. As law enforcement officers, we witness firsthand
the devastation and loss caused by alcohol-impaired driving, along with the
lasting pain it inflicts on families, friends, and entire communities. We’re
partnering with NHTSA to share the reminder that *Buzzed Driving Is Drunk
Driving*. Drinking and driving is not an option, but making sure someone
sober will be behind the wheel is,” he said.
Drivers should be safe during St. Patrick’s Day by planning ahead if they
intend to drink. They shouldn’t wait until after drinking to plan how to
get somewhere. Alcohol impairment clouds a person’s judgment. Drivers
should secure a designated sober driver or call a taxi or rideshare for a
sober ride home.
If a driver finds they are unable to drive, they should give their keys to
a sober driver so that person can get them home safely. When a friend has
been drinking and is considering driving, friends should be proactive —
take away the keys and help them get a sober ride home. If anyone spots a
drunk driver in Chattanooga, contact the CPD at 423-698-2525.
Drive 100% sober, because Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving. For more
information on impaired driving, visit
www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving.
