St. Patrick’s Day Drunk Driving Crackdown

St. Patrick's Day is on Tuesday, but already extra patrol is out trying to catch drunk drivers. Police say St. Patrick's Day is one of the busiest nights of the year for impaired driving activity.

FOX 9 got a chance to go on overnight patrol.

State Trooper Patrick Miles is part of the increased patrols in the state's 13 deadliest counties, including Hennepin and Ramsey.

Operation Nightcap uses federal money to stop drunk drivers.

"It's important because we need to stop serious injuries and deaths on the roadways save lives and save money," said Miles.

Over a two-year period on St. Patrick's Day weekend, nearly 1,600 hundred people were arrested for DWI.

Seven of 12 traffic deaths were alcohol related and there were 13 serious injuries.