Why did Kansas lawmakers put a hold on a medical marijuana bill? What happens next?
17 March 2023
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – Wichita police say if you go out to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, make sure you do it safely. The department says extra officers will be working Friday night to remove impaired drivers from the street.
“St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Friday this year, which can increase the number of people
consuming alcohol over the weekend,” said Gary Herman, Kansas Department of Transportation behavior safety manager. “By simply making plans to getting home safely before the celebrations begin, we can improve safety and help save families from a completely preventable heartbreak.”
According to KDOT, 143 people were killed in alcohol-suspected crashes in Kansas in 2021, and 61 people were killed in crashes that involved a blood alcohol content level of 0.08 and greater.
AAA is urging those who take part in the revelry to have a plan and is offering the following steps for a safe holiday.
If you’re venturing out to a pub or attending a St. Patrick’s Day party, plan ahead.
Decide whether you’ll drink or you’ll drive – you can’t do both
If you will drink, designate a sober, reliable driver to get you home safely or plan to call a taxi, ride share, sober friend or family member, or use public transportation
If you plan on driving, commit to staying sober
If you see a driver on the road that you suspect is impaired, pull over to a safe spot and call 911, giving police a description of the vehicle
And remember, if you see people who are about to drive while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely
For more information about the Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving campaign, click here.