Don’t Rely on Luck This St. Patrick’s Day: DMV Urges Virginians to Drive Sober

As St. Patrick’s Day approaches, the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and Highway Safety Office are sending out a crucial reminder to everyone planning to celebrate: Don’t test your luck by driving buzzed. With law enforcement on high alert this holiday weekend, the risks of driving under the influence are too significant to ignore.

DMV Commissioner Gerald Lackey, representing the Governor’s Highway Safety, emphasizes the danger of underestimating the effects of alcohol. “You’re impaired long before you feel drunk,” he states, highlighting that buzzed driving equates to drunk driving. Last year’s statistics paint a grim picture, with 82 alcohol-involved crashes in Virginia during the St. Patrick’s Day weekend, leading to numerous injuries and fatalities.

The message is clear: Wearing green isn’t the only tradition to uphold on St. Patrick’s Day; planning a sober ride home is equally important. Even minimal alcohol consumption can significantly impair driving abilities, affecting everything from visual function to multitasking skills critical for safe driving. With the legal driving limit set at a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 for those over 21 and a strict zero tolerance for those under, the consequences of driving buzzed can be severe.

Certain organizations offer sober ride programs during St. Patrick’s Day and other holidays to combat this issue, providing a safer alternative for revelers. Programs like the Washington Regional Alcohol Program in Northern Virginia and Drive Safe Hampton Roads in Hampton Roads offer discounted Lyft rides to ensure everyone gets home safely.

This St. Patrick’s Day, don’t leave your safety to chance. Make the responsible choice by planning ahead for a sober ride home, and help keep Virginia’s roads safe for all.