A press release from the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office:

McHenry County Sheriff’s Office reminds motorists that luck won’t get them home safely this St. Patrick’s Day

Sheriff’s squad car.

The McHenry County Sheriff’s Office will be conducting special patrols this St. Patrick’s Day to crack down on drunk drivers.

Unbuckled motorists also will be ticketed.

In addition to looking for drunk drivers, Sheriff’s deputies will be stepping up seat belt enforcement particularly at night when seat belt usage rates are lowest.

Here are some tips:

If you are hosting a St. Patrick’s Day party —

• Remember, you can be held liable and prosecuted if someone you serve is involved in a drunk driving crash;
• Make sure all of your guests designate a sober driver in advance or help arrange ride-
  sharing with other sober drivers;
• Serve lots of food and include lots of non-alcoholic beverages at the party;
• Keep the phone numbers for local cab companies handy and take the keys away from anyone who is thinking of driving drunk.

If you are attending a St. Patrick’s Day party —

• Designate a sober driver before the party begins and give that person your car keys;
• If you do not have a designated driver, ask a sober friend for a ride home, call a cab, sober friend or family member to pick you up or just stay where you are and sleep it off until you are sober;
• Never let a friend leave your sight if you think they are about to drive while drunk;
• Always buckle up – it is still your best defense against a drunk driver.

The St. Patrick’s Day Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over crackdown is funded by federal traffic safety funds from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and administered through IDOT’s Division of Transportation Safety.