By Gina Yarbrough
San Diego, CA–Sheriff’s deputies will increase impaired driving patrols beginning on Tuesday at 6 p.m. during St. Patrick’s Day celebrations across the county, authorities said.
“People who drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs, including marijuana and prescription drugs, put everyone’s lives in danger,” the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office stated in a release.
During the St. Patrick’s Day 2025 enforcement period, 11 people were arrested and booked into San Diego County jails on suspicion of impaired driving. In 2026, approximately 1,514 people were arrested for impaired driving by law enforcement agencies in the county. Deputies have made 237 of those arrests.
An impaired driving arrest and conviction can cost more than $15,000 in legal and court fees.
Funding for the St. Patrick’s Day impaired driving enforcement program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
