The Lake County Sheriff’s Office will conduct additional traffic safety patrols this St. Patrick’s Day to identify and arrest impaired drivers, while encouraging people to wear their seatbelts.  Celebrated throughout the country, St. Patrick’s Day is one of the deadliest holidays of the year due to the number of drunk drivers on the road.  If you’ll be drinking or using another impairing substance, plan ahead for a sober ride home.

“We urge the community to enjoy St. Patrick’s Day responsibly,” said Sheriff John Idleburg.  “From March 12 through March 18, we will have extra traffic patrols on our roadways to keep impaired drivers off the road and help ensure everyone makes it to their destination safely.”

Always remember to designate a sober drive, use a ride-share service, call a cab, or stay where you are at.  Driving impaired is never a solution.  Wearing a seatbelt is your best defense in a crash, so when you are in the car, be sure to buckle-up!

The Illinois “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” and “Click It or Ticket” campaigns are administered by the Illinois Department of Transportation with federal highway safety funds managed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.