Officers across 100 NC counties ramping up patrols against drunk driving ahead of St. Patrick's Day

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- As part of the N.C. Governor's Highway Safety Program, law enforcement from all 100 North Carolina counties will be increasing patrols between March 14 and March 20.

The patrols are meant to catch partiers celebrating St. Patrick's Day, which falls on Thursday this year.

Officers will be checking for drivers on highways and setting up checkpoints along busy routes.

According to the North Carolina Department of Transportation, a driving while impaired (DWI) charge could result in jail time, loss of license and an average of $10,000 in fines and other fees. That's not to mention the cost of potential lost life.

Just last week, a crash on I-40 killed three people. Alcohol is suspected to have been a factor in the crash.

In 2021, the Booze It & Lose It campaign resulted in nearly 2,000 DUI arrests across all 100 counties. In total, there were 6,371 criminal violations.