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Local DUI Enforcement Blitz Planned For St. Patrick's Day Holiday

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says 276 Americans died in drunken driving crashes on St. Patrick's Day from 2009 through 2013. Last year, it was 29 people. Central Ohio law enforcement agencies are reminding holiday revelers that they will be enforcing DUI laws, with plans for sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols throughout the weekend. Franklin County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Jim Gilbert heads the county DUI task force. He says a holiday enforcement blitz will include a sobriety checkpoint on Friday evening on the southeast side.

The task force, Columbus Public Health and other agencies are urging people to choose a designated driver, or take a cab or Uber ride home. They also suggest taking a ride out to celebrate instead of driving. One way to catch a ride is through the Central Ohio Safe Ride program. Pat Byrne of Byrne's Pub near Grandview Heights co-founded the program in 2008. He says the program offers discount vouchers for a taxi or uber ride to people who need or want them.

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Byrne says more information is available on the Central Ohio Safe Ride Program page on Facebook.

Jim has been with WCBE since 1996. Before that he worked as a reporter at another Columbus radio station, and for three newspapers in Southwest Florida.
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