No Luck Involved: Make A Plan For A Sober Ride Home This St. Patrick’s Day Weekend

Local, state police targeting impaired drivers in Maryland, Virginia and Delaware; Lyft credits being offered to help ensure a safe ride home

GLEN BURNIE, MD (March 15, 2023) – The Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration, the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles and the Delaware Office of Highway Safety are working together with law enforcement and transportation officials from all three states to save lives during the upcoming St. Patrick’s Day weekend.

Through the collaborative Border-to-Border initiative kicking off March 15, law enforcement agencies in Maryland, Virginia and Delaware will team up for high visibility, life-saving enforcement on US 13 throughout the St. Patrick’s Day weekend. US 13 is a major north-south corridor across the Delmarva Peninsula comprising 289 total miles: 137 in Virginia, 103 in Delaware and 49 in Maryland. In addition to the Border-to-Border initiative, Maryland agencies will conduct high visibility enforcement in other areas of the state.

“The decision to drive impaired could result in a preventable tragedy, causing injury or death for yourself, friends, loved ones or others on the road,” said Motor Vehicle Administrator Chrissy Nizer, who serves as Governor Wes Moore’s Highway Safety Representative. “If your plans included drinking, make a plan to designate a sober driver or call a rideshare to ensure everyone arrives home safely.”

The Maryland Motor Vehicle Administration’s Highway Safety Office also will provide rideshare credits to Marylanders on Friday and Saturday, March 17-18, courtesy of Governors Highway Safety Association and Responsibility.org, to help ensure a sober ride home. A limited number of rideshare credits will be available to claim. Once the limit has been reached, only those who claimed a rideshare code will be able to redeem the code from 4 p.m. Friday to 3 a.m. Saturday, and from 4 p.m. Saturday to 3 a.m. Sunday. A new code will be posted at ZeroDeathsMD.gov/Rideshare at 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

During last year’s St. Patrick’s Day weekend, March 16 to March 21, there were 135 impaired driver-related crashes, 42 injuries and one death in Maryland. In Virginia during that same period, there were 128 alcohol-related crashes, 69 injuries and four deaths; and on Delaware roadways there were 26 crashes involving drivers impaired by alcohol, drugs or both, resulting in two fatalities.

“Drunk driving is 100% preventable by planning ahead for a sober ride,” said Acting Virginia Department of Motor Vehicle Commissioner Linda Ford, who serves as Governor Glenn Youngkin’s Highway Safety Representative. “If your St. Patrick’s Day celebration includes alcohol, please make sure it also includes a safe ride home.”

“Impaired driving continues to be a leading contributing factor in fatal crashes that are occurring on Delaware roadways,” said Director Kimberly Chesser of the Delaware Office of Highway Safety. “Every loss of life is tragic and has a permanent effect on loved ones and the community. These crashes are preventable and should not happen.”

This year, 16 law enforcement agencies in Delaware and six law enforcement agencies in Virginia will join Maryland for enforcement efforts along US 13 from March 16 through March 19. More information on Virginia and Delaware efforts can be found at ArriveAliveDE.com and DMV.virginia.gov/safety.

Maryland agencies conduct enforcement efforts statewide

In addition to the agencies participating in Border-to-Border efforts along US 13, the following Maryland agencies will conduct high visibility enforcement across the state:

Learn more about the Motor Vehicle Administration’s Highway Safety Office by visiting ZeroDeathsMD.gov or on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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