Nebraska State Patrol and MADD urge safety on St. Patrick’s Day

Nebraska State Patrol and Mothers Against Drunk Driving talk about road safety this holiday.

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – St. Patrick’s Day is one of the biggest drinking days of the year, and arguably one of the deadliest.

Between 2015 and 2019, 280 people died nationwide because of drinking and driving on St. Patrick’s Day, according to the Nebraska Department of Transportation.

The Nebraska State Patrol has taken one measure to keep roads safe by enhancing patrols across the state.

“Plan ahead,” Trooper Sean Velte said. “If you find yourself caught up in near downtown, and you’ve realized you’ve had too much to drink, try to have someone that you can call, whether a family member or a friend.”

Sara Draper, program specialist at Mothers Against Drunk Driving, echoed the same sentiment as NSP.

“The bar is busy now; it’s going to get even more busier,” she said at McKinney’s Irish Pub late Thursday morning. “We hope that every single person here knows how they’re getting home before they take that first drink.”

NSP AND MADD encourage those celebrating to look into rideshare apps to get home safely.