OHS Announces St. Patrick’s Day Sober Rides and DUI Checkpoint in Sussex County

OHS Announces St. Patrick’s Day Sober Rides and DUI Checkpoint in Sussex County

DOVER, Del. (March 10, 2026) – The Delaware Office of Highway Safety (OHS), in partnership with the Delaware State Police, local law enforcement agencies, and corporate partners, is increasing impaired driving enforcement and prevention efforts ahead of St. Patrick’s Day.

A Driving Under the Influence (DUI) checkpoint will be conducted on Friday, March 13, in Sussex County as part of Delaware’s ongoing impaired driving enforcement campaign and in alignment with St. Patrick’s Day weekend. The checkpoint is designed to identify and remove impaired drivers from Delaware roadways while reinforcing that driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs is illegal and dangerous.

St. Patrick’s Day celebrations often involve alcohol consumption, and nationally the holiday has historically seen an increase in impaired driving crashes. High-visibility enforcement efforts such as DUI checkpoints serve as both a deterrent and a reminder that impaired driving laws are actively enforced in Delaware.

“Impaired driving remains a serious threat to public safety in Delaware,” said Joshua Bushweller, Secretary of the Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security. “Through coordinated enforcement efforts across our state, we are holding impaired drivers accountable and reinforcing that this dangerous behavior will not be tolerated.”

In addition to enforcement, OHS is offering its St. Patrick’s Day Sober Rides program to provide safe transportation alternatives for those who plan to celebrate.

Sober Rides will be available during two periods:

• Round 1: 12 p.m. on Saturday, March 14, through 3 a.m. on Sunday, March 15
• Round 2: 12 p.m. on Tuesday, March 17, through 3 a.m. on Wednesday, March 18

The program provides ride-share vouchers to help prevent impaired driving and ensure celebrators have a safe way home.

Voucher release times: Codes will be released at 10 a.m., 12 p.m., and 3 p.m. on each program day and are available on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last.

Motorists should expect increased enforcement throughout the holiday period and are urged to plan ahead by designating a sober driver or arranging a safe ride home.

“Impaired driving is entirely preventable,” said Sharon Bryson, Director of the Delaware Office of Highway Safety. “If you plan to drink, plan your ride home first. Programs like Sober Rides make it easier to celebrate responsibly and ensure everyone gets home safely.”

For more information about the St. Patrick’s Day Sober Rides program, visit MySoberRides.com.

About the Delaware Office of Highway Safety
The Office of Highway Safety (OHS) is committed to improving the safety of Delaware’s motoring public by focusing on behavioral traffic safety issues, such as impaired driving, seat belt use, speeding, child passenger safety, pedestrian and bicycle safety, motorcycle safety, and teen driving issues. FAQs can be found at ArriveAliveDE.com. Follow OHS on the Delaware Office of Highway Safety website, Facebook, X (Twitter), and Instagram.