St. Patty’s Day revelry brings out more police patrols

The Yuma Police Department will be cracking down on drunk driving over the St. Patrick’s Day holiday, so motorists can expect to see more officers out on the streets.

Starting today and continuing through Saturday, Yuma police will be conducting an impaired driving detail designed to stop drivers who are impaired by alcohol or drugs.

Additional officers will be used to patrol city streets looking for signs of an impaired driver behind the wheel. These DUI patrols are in addition to regularly scheduled patrol officers.

Money to pay for the additional officers was provided by a grant from the Arizona Governor’s Office of Highway Safety.

In addition to getting impaired drivers off the street, Yuma police officers will also be actively enforcing traffic laws and raising public awareness about the dangers of impaired driving in an effort to save more lives on our roadways.

Yuma police say impaired driving is one of America’s most oftencommitted and deadliest crimes.

YPD recommends the following easy steps for a safe St. Patrick’s Day holiday:

• Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin.

• Before drinking, please designate a sober driver and leave your car keys at home.

• If you’re impaired, use a taxi, Uber, call a sober friend or family member.

• If you happen to see an impaired driver on the road, don’t hesitate to call 911.

And remember, if you know someone who is about to drive while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.