Chapel Hill Police Department is increasing patrols to keep impaired drivers off the roads during a statewide St. Patrick’s Day ‘Booze It and Lose It’ enforcement campaign, which continues through Sunday.

“If your St. Patrick’s Day celebration includes alcohol, please take time now to plan a safe ride,” Chief Celisa Lehew said. “Check in with your friends and make sure they also have a plan.”

This increased enforcement will take place during times when impaired driving is known to happen more often, including overnight hours.

In 2022, 225 people were killed or seriously injured in alcohol-related crashes on North Carolina roads during the St. Patrick’s Day enforcement campaign period. Last year, seven out of 161 alcohol-related crashes in Orange County were deadly, according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

“We want everyone to make it home,” Chief Lehew said.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation is leading the statewide ‘Booze It and Lose It’ campaign. Learn more here.

Vision Zero

On October 13, 2021, Chapel Hill’s Town Council adopted a Vision Zero Resolution, which states that traffic injuries and deaths are not inevitable “accidents” but preventable crashes. The Town committed to eliminating all transportation and mobility related deaths and serious injuries by 2031. This will be achieved through a comprehensive and holistic approach to designing safe roadway systems for all users no matter how they choose to move throughout the community. To view the resolution, click here.

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