Letters to the editor

Responsibilty Important on St. Patrick’s Day

St. Patrick’s Day has become a big night out for many Americans — particularly young adults. But it is also a very dangerous night out due to impaired drivers.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in 2003, 32 percent of all traffic fatalities on the nation’s highways around St. Patrick’s Day were the result of impaired drivers with the blood alcohol content of .08 percent and above.

Whether you are just meeting a few friends after work or attending a party, if you plan on using alcohol to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, designate your sober driver before the party begins and give that person your car keys; Remember, friends don’t let friends drive drunk.

Impaired driving continues to be one of America’s deadliest problems. Nationally in 2003, more than 17,000 people died in impaired driving-related highway crashes. Hundreds of thousands more were injured.

Every 30 minutes, about 50 times a day, someone in America dies in an impaired driving-related crash. This means you, your friends and your family are regularly at risk.

Driving impaired or riding with someone who is impaired is not worth the risk. The consequences are serious and real. Not only do you risk killing yourself or someone else, but the trauma and financial costs of a crash or an arrest for driving while impaired can be significant and not the way you want to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

Violators face jail time, the loss of their driver’s license, higher insurance rates, court costs and fines, tow bills, et cetera.

Please remember — don’t test your luck this St. Patrick’s Day. Designate a sober driver before the party begins and always "Drive Smart, Safe and Sober."

Col. D.G. Harper
Chief of Police
Harrisonburg Police Department