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Heightened DUI patrols planned for St. Patrick’s Day in Lancaster County

Law-enforcers are planning heightened DUI patrols in Lancaster County for the St. Patrick’s Day holiday. Officials are urging the use of Uber, Lyft, taxis, and ...
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Law-enforcers are planning heightened DUI patrols in Lancaster County for the St. Patrick’s Day holiday.

Officials are urging the use of Uber, Lyft, taxis, and another phone app which allows for easy arrangements of safe transportation – SaferRide.

The holiday is known as a popular time for parties and events at bars/taverns.

There were more than 1,200 DUI-related crashes around the holiday last year in Pennsylvania, according to PennDOT. Thirteen people died in those crashes.

Sobriety checkpoints are planned in the region, and specifically in Lancaster County, there will be roving patrols: police on the roads targeting signs of impaired driving. Pennsylvania State Police and municipal departments are coordinating those efforts throughout the weekend.

SaferRide, a free app available on Apple and Android devices, allows a user to contact a taxi or friend who has not been drinking. The app uses map locators to show a potential ride exactly where the user is.

Here is a link: http://www.lcb.pa.gov/Education/Resources/Pages/SaferRide.aspx

A description for the app reads, “Too drunk to drive means too drunk for complicated apps,” with the message being the app is easy to use. So, local officials are encouraging party-goers to do just that, or use other phone-based ride apps, like Uber and Lyft.

There are about 1,700 DUI charges filed in Lancaster County every year.

Aside from the potential injury or death risk, a driver charged with DUI can expect to pay between $5,000 to $10,000 in fines and court-related costs.

SOURCE: Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office

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