Friends will soon gather at their favorite pubs and bars to toast St. Patrick’s Day with green beer, kegs and eggs. Traditionally, Saint Patrick’s Day is a “drinking holiday.” This means that law enforcement officers will be looking for motorists who could be inebriated and endangering other drivers.
According to a study conducted by The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, one of the country’s deadliest days on the highways is St. Patrick’s Day. The report states that between 2017 and 2021, during the St. Patrick’s Day holiday, there were 272 fatal drunk driving collisions. Further, during the St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in 2021, drunk driving collisions claimed the lives of 47 individuals.
Make plans for a safe celebration
The NHTSA advises everyone to adopt the following safety measures:
- Driving after intoxication is never acceptable. For safe transportation home, designate a sober driver or use a ride-hailing service. Keep in mind that buzzed driving is considered drunk driving. If you imbibe, don’t get behind the wheel.
- Make sure you abstain from alcohol if you are the designated driver so you can honor your word to yourself and your passengers by offering safe travels home.
- Watch out for your friends and don’t let them drive if they are intoxicated. Make plans for a sober and secure ride home for them.
- Refrain from getting into a car with a drunk driver.
- Get in touch with your local law enforcement to report a drunk driver if you witness them operating a vehicle.
Planning ahead can help to ensure that you and your friends will arrive home safely after a fun celebration However, if you find yourself on the receiving end of a DUI, it’s important that you seek assistance with the charges as soon as possible. Simply because getting arrested for DUI on St. Patrick’s Day is a relatively commonplace occurrence doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t treat it seriously.
