Authorities Stepping Up Enforcement For St. Patrick’s Day

With St. Patrick's Day just around the corner, authorities are reminding holiday revelers to keep it safe on the roads.  Motorists can expect to see stepped-up enforcement of sober driving.

According to a release from the North Carolina Department of Transportation, statewide law enforcement officials will increase saturation patrols and driver checkpoints to keep impaired drivers off the roads.

"Don't take a chance," said Mark Ezzell, director of the Governor's Highway Safety Program. "Designating a sober driver or using ride-sharing services and public transportation is the only safe alternative."

North Carolina's "Booze It & Lose It" initiative has been around for 27 years, but you'll see freshened up messaging during the St. Patrick's Day campaign.  Officials tested new advertising and a new logo as part of a yearlong pilot project in the western part of North Carolina.