Next Tuesday is St. Patrick’s Day and this weekend EPPD officers will be looking for drivers who have had too much green beer and made the decision to drive.

St. Patrick’s Day can be a dangerous time due to the increased number of impaired drivers on the road.

Last year in Eden Prairie, 240 people were arrested for impaired driving. To date in 2026, 34 people have been arrested for DWI. Don’t be the next one!

It’s easy to enjoy a festive and safe celebration without jeopardizing your life or the lives of others. Here are a few tips:

• Plan ahead if you’ll be drinking and arrange a safe way home before the festivities begin.
• Before drinking, designate a sober driver and give that person your keys.
• If you’re impaired, call a taxi or ridesharing program, use public transportation, or call a sober friend or family member to get you home safely.
• If you see an impaired driver on the road, promptly call 911. You could save someone’s life.
• Remember, friends don’t let friends drive impaired. If you know someone who is about to drive or ride with someone who is impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.