TRENTON
– With St. Patrick’s Day parties
and parades planned throughout the state this
weekend, New Jersey public safety officials
today urged revelers to exercise caution if
they are planning to consume alcohol during
their celebrations.
Division
of Highway Traffic Safety Acting Director
Gary Poedubicky urged people planning to
drink to stay off the road this weekend.
“There’s
simply no excuse for drinking and driving.
If you plan to attend a St. Patrick’s
Day celebration at a local restaurant, tavern
or residence, make sure you have a designated
driver before heading out,” Poedubicky
said. “You’ll not only be ensuring
your safety, but the safety of everyone
else who is sharing the road with you.”
During
St. Patrick’s Day weekend last year
(March 12-13), there were five fatalities
on New Jersey roads. Over that weekend,
a driver with a blood alcohol content of
.255 percent was killed in a single-car
accident at 4:38 a.m. on Sunday morning.
It’s not just other motorists that
could suffer the consequences of an impaired
driver. Pedestrian fatalities have seen
an uptick in recent years and, so far in
2012, 28 pedestrians have been killed in
traffic crashes. That’s just one off
the pace of 29 from 2011, when 144 pedestrians
lost their lives. Last year, three pedestrians
were killed during St. Patrick’s Day
weekend.
“Motorists
must be alert to pedestrians year-round,
and in particular on nights when celebrations
are taking place and people may be drinking
alcohol,” Poedubicky added. “If
you’re intoxicated and traveling on
foot, the safest way to get home is to take
a cab or have a sober friend or family member
drive you to your doorstep.”
Division
of Alcoholic Beverage Control Director Michael
Halfacre called for responsibility from
parade and pub-goers this weekend and said
the Division’s investigation and enforcement
team would be in bars and restaurants making
sure licensees were carding drinkers and
not serving patrons to the point of intoxication.
“Over-consumption of alcohol can lead
to deadly consequences, not just on St.
Patrick's Day, but every day," Halfacre
said. "The Division of Alcoholic Beverage
Control is asking patrons to be aware of
the amount of alcohol they consume and reminding
establishments that serve alcohol that it
is their responsibility not to serve intoxicated
patrons.”
Individuals
attending a St. Patrick’s Day celebration
are also reminded to:
