Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over.  That’s the important reminder coming from the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) with two of the heaviest drinking events of the year around the corner:  St. Patrick’s Day and the NCAA tournament. All throughout March, deputies will be conducting overtime patrols and sobriety checkpoints to prevent dangerous and impaired driving. This is part of a statewide enforcement campaign, funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration through the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI). Impaired driving isn’t the only risk on the road in March, according to ICJI.  Dangerous driving, which includes factors such as speeding too fast for weather conditions and aggressive driving, is also a concern and something LCSO deputies will be watching for throughout the mobilization.
The following list includes several safety tips to prevent impaired driving this March. Before the celebration begins, plan a safe way home. Never drive impaired. Remember: Buzzed Driving Is Drunk Driving. If you do drink, use a taxi, public transportation, ridesharing service or designate a sober friend or family member, and give them your keys. If you see a drunk driver on the road, call 911. If you know someone who is about to drive or ride impaired, take their keys and help them make arrangements to get home safely. To learn more about the LCSO, please visit  www.laportecountysheriff.com.