A few sobering notes on driving drunk

Did you know?St. Patrick's Day is the second-deadliest holiday for alcohol-related traffic deaths, according to the state Department of Public Safety.

Extra DWI patrols will be on the roads on St. Patrick's Day to nab drunk drivers.

•"O'Busted," a TV spot featuring green beer. www.startribune.com/a249.

•"Leprechaun Dash," an online impaired-driving simulation video game. www.startribune.com/a250.

•Alcohol-related crashes on St. Patrick's Day accounted for four of seven Minnesota traffic deaths from 2007 to 2009.

•909 drivers were arrested for DWI during that time.

•Each year in Minnesota, alcohol-related crashes account for more than 140 deaths. More than 30,000 motorists are arrested for DWI.

"There are plenty of safe alternatives available on St. Patrick's Day, so there is no excuse for anyone to put lives at risk by driving impaired," says Jean Ryan, impaired-driving program coordinator in the DPS' Office of Traffic Safety.

Drinking for long periods will produce high alcohol-concentration levels that will not drop below the legal limit -- even with breaks in drinking in the morning or afternoon, Ryan said.