Driving Safety Tips for St. Patrick’s Day
Every year the middle of March brings a little bit of mayhem into everything — the NCAA tournament, spring fever and St. Patrick’s Day.
For most Americans, it’s a celebration of all things green, often including parades, parties and the ubiquitous phrase, “Kiss Me, I’m Irish” slapped on all manner of seasonal novelty items.
In addition to the festivities, the reality is that drunk driving is a concern during all holidays, St. Patrick’s Day included, and state and local law enforcement agencies take this very seriously. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), on the St. Patrick’s Day holiday period from 2011 through 2015, there were 252 fatal auto accidents involving drunk drivers.
The NHTSA recommends some simple steps to help ensure a safe and festive holiday.
They include:
- Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin.
- Designate a sober driver and leave your car keys at home. If you’re planning on driving, commit to staying sober.
- Use public transportation, a local taxi service or your community’s sober ride
program. - If you know people who are about to drive or ride while impaired, take their keys and
help them make other travel arrangements. - If you see a drunk driver on the road, call local law enforcement.