Home / Blog / How to Stay Safe on St. Paddy’s Day 2018
Parades, leprechaun hats, green clothes—and green beer. On or around March 17, some 60 percent of Americans will don the Irish green to celebrate what has become the 2nd most popular drinking day of the year, according to Time. Unfortunately, this also typically leads to a spike in drunk driving. According to statistics provided by WalletHub, 60 Americans died in drunk driving accidents during St. Paddy’s Day 2016, and of those fatality accidents, 75 percent of them involved a driver with a BAC count at twice the legal limit.
Needless to say, if you plan to indulge on St. Patrick’s Day, or even be out of the house, it pays to take a few steps to stay safe. Here are some tips that could keep your evening from being spoiled and possibly save your life.
Designate a driver beforehand. Make the decision early on not to drink and drive. If you don’t have a designated driver, hire a cab or Uber to take you home—or stay in a nearby hotel.
Eat while you drink. Keeping food in your belly will slow the absorption of alcohol and possibly keep you from getting sick.
Hydrate. Alternating between water and alcoholic drinks can keep you from overdoing it on the booze; it can also stave off tomorrow’s hangover (which comes from dehydration).
Leave the expensive jewelry at home. Intoxication makes you less aware of your surroundings and more susceptible to theft. Don’t wear anything someone might want to steal—and keep the cash in your wallet to a minimum if possible.
Keep the green beer in sight. For your safety, never leave a drink unattended, just in case someone gets the idea of adding something else to it while you’re not paying attention.
Be aware of others on the roads.If you’re the designated driver or not indulging, use extra caution on the roadways. Watch for erratic drivers and pedestrians, and give them all a wide berth.
Tagged auto accidents, drunk driving 