Holiday celebrations increase risks of DUI, death

By IAN MINIELLY

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Wakefield - St. Patrick's Day provides many adults an excuse they do not need, to drink, followed by driving while intoxicated.

Michigan State Police statistics do not break down arrests by date, but other locations have truncated their data fields to specific days and holidays for better statistical consumption related to holiday arrests.

The MSP made four arrests locally of drivers suspected of being behind the wheel while intoxicated over the St. Patrick's Day holiday.

-A 50-year-old Ironwood male was arrested for operating while intoxicated at 6:10 p.m., near the intersection of U.S. 2 and Marshalek, in Bessemer on March 17.

-A 55-year-old female from Eau Claire, Wis., was arrested for OWI at the intersection of U.S. 2 and Country Club Road at 10:33 p.m., on March 17 in Ironwood Township.

-Just past midnight, a 46-year-old female from Gladstone, Wis., was arrested at the intersection of U.S. 2 and Balsam Avenue for OWI in Bessemer,

-At 2:25 a.m., a 38-year-old man from Hazelhurst, Wis., was arrested for OWI at the intersection of U.S. 2 and Douglas Boulevard in Ironwood.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), on average more than 10,000 people die in alcohol- related accidents every year. On St. Patrick's Day alone, 32 percent of motor vehicle fatalities were connected to drunk driving, according to the NHTSA.

New Year's Eve and July Fourth are the worst days for drunk driving, but Super Bowl Sunday and just about every holiday and three or four-day weekend provides people an excuse to start drinking earlier than normal and then get behind the wheel.

New Year's Eve is recognized as the holiday with the most arrests for suspected drinking and driving, while the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says the Fourth of July is the deadliest with regards to driving under the influence and dying.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, in 2012 over Labor Day's four-day weekend, which is a double whammy with a holiday and four-day weekend combined, 440 driving under the influence arrests were made just in Pennsylvania. For the 2017-'18 New Year's in Pennsylvania by comparison, 284 people were caught behind the wheel intoxicated, which was down from the 2016-'17 holiday number of 328.

Looking at the consumer advisory alerts provided by the NHTSA. drunk driving campaigns over the last five years, it is clear the focus is on intoxicated holiday driving for the many reasons:

-The "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over" campaign focuses on Labor Day and the November-December holiday season.

-The "Something to Think About, Play It Safe, and Fans Don't Let Fans Drive Drunk" campaigns spring to life around the Super Bowl.

-July Fourth has the "Celebrate America...Safe and Sober as well as the Drive Sober" theme.

-Halloween received the "Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving effort."