COAL TOWNSHIP - Celebrate St. Patrick's Day in a safe and responsible way.
That was the message expressed by Northumberland County District Attorney Tony Rosini, Coal Township police and an official with the North Central Regional DUI Enforcement Program at a press conference Thursday to promote this weekend's enforcement of impaired drivers.
A new trailer that will assist officers in their DUI crackdown efforts was unveiled during the brief event outside Coal Township Police Station.
The enforcement program sponsored by PennDOT was held to warn motorists that there will be a heavy police presence this weekend.
"We want everyone to enjoy their weekend, have a good time and celebrate St. Patrick's Day in a safe and responsible way," Rosini said. "And we want everyone to get home safely."
Rosini said that while St. Patrick's Day has become a popular time to celebrate with friends and family, the large volume of drinking drivers makes it a dangerous time to be on the road.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported that more than 700 people were killed nationwide in crashes involving drunk drivers during St. Patrick's Day holidays from 2006 to 2010. On average, a person is killed every 51 minutes in a drunk-driving crash in the country. In 2010, Rosini said 80 percent of alcohol-related accidents on St. Patrick's Day involved drivers who had blood-alcohol levels nearly twice the legal limit of .08 percent.
Although alcohol-related crashes accounted for only approximately 9 percent of total accidents in 2011, they resulted in 33 percent of all people killed in crashes. Seventy-six percent of alcohol-related crashes occur at night, he said.
"That is why we are encouraging everyone who goes out this weekend to plan a safe way home before the festivities begin," Rosini said. Rosini said statistics show that DUI enforcement programs are working. "It's important to keep these programs working to save lives," he said.
David R. Everly, regional sobriety checkpoint coordinator for the North Central Regional DUI Enforcement Program that covers 10 counties, including Northumberland, said the trailer was purchased with federal funding through PennDOT in cooperation with county commissioners and Coal Township officials.
Everly, who commended Coal Township police for coordinating sobriety checkpoints through the years, said the trailer cost approximately $5,000 and contains equipment that assists officers during the checkpoints. It also has a generator, halogen lighting and a work station.
Everly thanked Rosini, PennDOT, Coal Township and county commissioners, Coal Township Police Chief William Carpenter and Patrolman Edward Purcell, who serves as DUI coordinator in the county, for their efforts.
Craig Fetterman, president of the Coal Township Board of Commissioners, praised police for coordinating the DUI program in the county.
Purcell said in a statement that county law enforcement will be on "high alert" this weekend.
"Today, we are giving fair warning to everyone traveling through Northumberland County that our law enforcement officers will be out on patrol and if you are caught driving drunk, you will be arrested," he said.