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SALT LAKE CITY — Troopers and police across the state are in the midst of a campaign to keep impaired drivers off Utah's roads and possibly save lives this St. Patrick's Day.
UHP and many law agencies added extra staff Friday through Monday night as part of a campaign called "A little drunk - a lot arrested.”
"The main goal is to do everything we can to make sure there are no alcohol-related fatalities tonight," said West Valley City Police Lt. Scott Buchanan.
They want to ensure this St. Patrick’s Day is not a repeat of last year’s holiday, when UHP said more drunk drivers were arrested than any other day of the year.
“We want to make sure they go and have a good time, but we want to make sure they’re safe about it,” said UHP trooper Lawrence Hopper. “There’s nothing fun about getting into a DUI crash and hurting someone, or possibly killing someone.”
Monday morning UHP had information on arrests available only for Saturday night in three counties. They said officers made 24 DUI arrests Saturday night alone in Salt Lake, Utah, and Tooele counties.
"(We) arrested a young lady who blew a .42," said Utah Highway Patrol Sgt. Blaine Robbins. "A .42 legal limit is .08, so she was five times the legal limit."
Officers from different agencies teamed up to help with the initiative including West Valley City Police and Salt Lake City Police. The two departments share a common boundary and often assist each other in cross-city investigations, but tonight they're all part of the same department.
"We realized DUI is a regional issue and it might be helpful to join resources and try to put a stop to it in a little broader area," Buchanan said.
Forty bars and restaurants along the Wasatch Front also joined the campaign, committing to paying close attention to how impaired customers are before they try to drive. Some of the establishments passed out shirts and coasters to send the safe driving message.
Officers urge people to plan ahead, have a designated driver or call a cab at the end of the night.
As it does each St. Patrick’s Day, AAA is offering to take impaired drivers and their cars home free of charge. Tipsy Tow is open from 6 p.m. Monday to 6 a.m. Tuesday. Anyone can call 800-222-4357 — that's AAA-HELP — for a free tow home of up to 10 miles.
AAA estimates a first-time DUI conviction can cost up to $12,000 in fines, penalties, restitution, legal fees, and added insurance expenses.
