Don't Try Your Luck This St. Patrick's Day

For many Americans, March represents the beginning of spring, competitive basketball tournaments and St. Patrick's Day. Celebrating the patron saint of Ireland with the belief that everyone is Irish on March 17, St. Patrick's Day has opened the door to several festive traditions in the United States. The holiday, which is not official in the U.S., is widely celebrated with tributes to Irish culture, displays of green, feasting, parades and most commonly, heavy drinking.

During the month of March in 2012, there were 524 alcohol-related collisions in Indiana. Of these collisions, six fatalities were reported. On St. Patrick's Day in 2010, 32 percent of fatalities from motor vehicle accidents were connected to drivers with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 or above.

Statistics illustrate that a celebration of a patron saint has now become a symbol for partying in the United States.  These trends have caught the concern and attention of law enforcement and responsible alcohol consumption and underage drinking prevention organizations, including Project RAD (Responsible Alcohol Distribution). In order to make a change, moderation and control must be highly encouraged and promoted during St. Patrick's Day events.

The Indiana Criminal Justice Institute is currently working with 250 state and local law enforcement agencies on a 16-day, high-visibility crackdown on impaired and dangerous driving known as "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" beginning March 8. The joint forces will deploy sobriety checkpoints, saturation patrols and other enforcement tactics to detect and remove impaired drivers from the roads. The Indiana State Excise Police have initiated "Intensified College Enforcement" patrols around college campuses looking for alcohol abuse and underage drinking.

The Indiana Association of Beverage Retailers, a group composed of liquor store owners and a Project RAD partner, applauds law enforcement for its efforts in curbing underage drinking and excess drinking and driving. This year, we have asked our members to arm their customers with facts and figures about the dangers associated with binge drinking this St. Patrick's Day. As small business owners, our members are part of the community, and they want to ensure safe streets and highways this weekend.

We don't want Hoosiers to try their luck this St. Patrick's Day. Choose to drink responsibly so that you can be around for next year's celebration, too!

John Livengood
President/CEO, Indiana Association of Beverage Retailers
Partner with Project RAD

 (This letter originally posted in the Project RAD Special Edition Newsletter, vol. 126)