Starting today, look for more Maui Police officers–and DUI checkpoints–on the roads than usual. That’s because the MPD is starting their annual St. Patrick’s Day Impaired Driving Enforcement Campaign, which will run through Sunday, Mar. 20, according to a Mar. 14 MPD news release.
“Tragically, March 17 has become one of the nation’s deadliest holidays, with a dramatic spike in drunk-driving fatalities,” states the news release. “Because of this The Maui Police Department will be conducting a Saint Patrick’s Day Impaired Driving Prevention Campaign this Tuesday through Sunday. We would like to support a safe and responsible celebration for the community we serve, and by concentrating our traffic enforcement efforts on impaired driving offenses during this period we hope to do just that. Motorist[s] can expect to see increased saturation patrols during all hours of the day and night which will include the use of unmarked patrol vehicles and sobriety checkpoints at various locations.”
The MPD news release also helpfully included some tips on staying safe this holiday season:
• Plan a safe way home before you start celebrating.
• Before drinking, designate a sober driver. If you wait until you’re impaired, you’re more likely to make a bad decision.
• If you’ve been drinking, take a taxi, call a sober friend or family member.
• If you see an impaired driver on the road, call the Maui Police Department to report it. You could save a life.
• If you know someone who is about to drive while impaired, be a true friend and take their keys. Help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.
According to this KHON2 story, last year’s MPD St. Patrick’s Day effort resulted in 344 citations, as well as nine arrests for driving under the influence.
Photo: Rob Young/Wikimedia Commons
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