In just a short period of time, the nation will be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, an international holiday celebrating the Irish patron saint of the same name. It is often associated with heavy drinking at bars, pubs, house parties, and parades. With nearly 33 million Americans claiming to be of Irish descent and even more joining in on the festivities, the number of people involved in drinking is larger than anywhere in the world. With so many participants throughout the country, the risk of being involved in an alcohol-related incident increase.
The Dangers of Drunk Driving
No matter the occasion or what time of year it is, driving under the influence is careless and irresponsible. Alcohol is a depressant that slows the brain’s functionality and the central nervous system, leading to intoxicated drivers not being able to process information as fast as they normally would.
While drinking and driving is a danger year-round, during holidays, the number of injuries and fatalities rise. St. Patrick’s Day is no stranger to this. WalletHub reported roughly 60% of Americans celebrated St. Patrick’s Day last year with each partier spending an average of $40. Beer also saw an increase in sales of 152.5% on the holiday as opposed to a normal day. Alcohol is consumed in excess on St. Patrick’s Day which naturally leads to those engaging in festivities to be more prone to accidents. 3/4ths of the fatal car crashes during this day involved drivers who consumed double the legal limit. WalletHub also notes that an alcohol-related accident involves a fatality every 36 minutes.
According to the NHTSA, in 2016 alone, 60 people were killed in accidents involving alcohol. This nearly doubles the daily average in the U.S. They also reported that between midnight and 6 am on March 18th, 75% of all crash fatalities involved a drunk driver. Drinking and driving is dangerous, and that fact doesn’t change on holidays.
Stay Safe this St. Patrick’s Day
Even though the road remains dangerous throughout this holiday, there are still steps you can take as an active participant in the day’s festivities to ensure the safety of yourself and others around the area. Here are a few steps in helping keep the roads safe this St. Patrick’s Day:
- Plan Ahead: If you plan on drinking, it is in your best interest and in the interest of everyone on the road to plan for a sober driver to take you home. Whether that be in the form of a designated driver in your friend group or scheduling someone to pick you up, avoid driving under the influence.
- Reporting Other Drunk Drivers: If you ever find yourself encountering a drunk driver, do not hesitate to call the local authorities. If you see someone entering their vehicle who is clearly intoxicated or if you suspect a driver on the road is under the influence, it’s better to alert authorities to make sure than wait to see what could potentially happen.
- Arrange Rides for Others: Even if you have a ride home yourself, try to be a helpful bystander and arrange a ride for your fellow partier. Ordering an Uber, Lyft, or other ride-sharing services are fast and efficient safe rides home. Even if they suggest walking home, this may not be as safe. NHTSA reports that 36% of pedestrians killed in crashed had a BAC (blood alcohol concentration) of .08 or higher so getting them a safe ride home may be their best bet.
While we all like to think that we are smart enough to rise to the occasion to avoid drinking and driving, being under the influence impairs our ability to make decisions. Mistakes will be made. If you find yourself hurt in an accident and need a personal injury law firm to care for you in McKinney, Wormington & Bollinger is here for you. If you need a DWI attorney, contact us today!