Wednesday

Bay Area Residents Drink & Drive During St. Patrick’s Sobriety Challenge at Infineon Raceway

Infineon Raceway

Fifteen people participated in the St. Patrick’s Day Sobriety Challenge at Infineon Raceway on Wednesday, a controlled wine and beer tasting demonstration that graphically illustrated the dangers of drinking and driving, even at levels below the legal limit of .08-percent.

The raceway teamed with the CHP and the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School’s Highway Survival Program on the event, which was held purposely on St. Patrick’s Day, one of the top days each year in terms of alcohol consumption.

“This event was a great demonstration of the dangers of drinking and driving, even at levels well below the legal limit,” said CHP Officer Jaret Paulson.  “It’s also a reminder to drivers that if they are impaired, even below the legal limit, they could be arrested for a DUI.”

Of the 15 people who took the Sobriety Challenge, 14 failed the driving test, further illustrating the dangers of drinking and driving.

“It was scary because I really thought I did better the second time (after drinking),” said Kellie Fuller of Napa.  “I failed the sobriety tests, so I knew I was in trouble, but I had no idea.  Now I really know I shouldn’t ever drink and drive.”

Fuller was joined a variety of Bay Area residents, including Tim Sbranti, city of Dublin mayor; Captain Tom Cullen, Deputy Commander, United States Coast Guard, Sector San Francisco; Brendan Moylan, owner of Moylan’s Brewery and Restaurant in Novato; Captain Rich Cairns, retired San Francisco Police Officer; and two students from Sonoma State University, among others.

Testers were given anywhere from one-to-three glasses of wine or Moylan’s beer before submitting to a field of sobriety tests, including a breathalyzer analysis administered by the CHP. Once they reached approximately half the legal limit (.04-percent), they tested their driving skills on a pre-determined course at the raceway. All drivers were accompanied by an instructor from the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School, and tests included lane changing, parallel parking, turning radius and speed drills.

“It’s amazing that everyone was below the legal limit, but even with a few drinks, they were different people behind the wheel,” said Paul Gerrard, director of global training for the Jim Russell Racing Drivers School.  “In just about every case, everyone thought they did better while intoxicated, but that certainly wasn’t the case.”

Statistics reflect the need for continued focus on drunk-driving prevention.  Between 1991-2002, drivers statewide were 23-percent more likely to be killed or injured in an alcohol-related crash on St. Patrick’s Day, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California.  And, in 2009, two people were killed and 60 people were injured in 118 alcohol-involved collisions statewide on St. Patrick’s Day, according to the CHP.

- Infineon Raceway, Press Release