The Shadow
RICHMOND, VA (VR) – Everyone is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day and everyone is responsible for having a plan to get home safely after celebrating with family and friends. AAA urges those who take part in the revelry to have a plan before getting behind the wheel. Beer and booze don’t mix when it comes to driving – in fact, they can be a deadly combination.
“The ‘luck of the Irish’ isn’t going to help you if you drive drink this St. Patrick’s Day,” said Morgan Dean, Manager of Public and Government Affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic in Virginia. “Whether you’re attending a house party or pub crawl, if alcohol is part of the festivities make sure you designate a sober driver, use ride share such as Lyft or Uber, or take public transportation to ensure you get home safely. The consequences of drunk driving aren’t worth the risk. Drunk driving is 100 percent preventable. There’s no excuse.”
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 12,429 people were killed in crashes involving alcohol-impaired drivers in 2023, accounting for approximately 30% of all traffic fatalities in the U.S.
To fight this trend, AAA and MADD announced a multi-faceted collaboration aimed at reducing impaired driving fatalities by 20% by 2030.
The 2024 iteration of the annual AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety Annual Traffic Safety Culture Index describes Americans’ perceptions of, attitudes toward and engagement in dangerous driving behaviors and identifies profiles of risky driving. When it comes to impaired driving, drivers overwhelmingly perceived driving after drinking alcohol (93%) as very or extremely dangerous, yet 7% of respondents reported having engaged in this behavior in the past 30 days. This ‘do as I say, not as I do’ behavior behind the wheel has to change. Lives depend on it.
St. Patrick’s Day is one of the deadliest times on our nation’s roads. During the 2018-2022 St. Patrick’s Day holiday period (6 p.m. March 16 to 5:59 a.m. March 18), 290 lives were lost in drunk-driving crashes.
The consequences of driving impaired are not worth the risks. Drunk driving can result in death, jail time, the loss of your driver’s license, and higher insurance rates, as well as dozens of other unanticipated expenses ranging from attorney fees, court costs, lost wages, and vehicle towing and repairs.
To prevent senseless tragedies from occurring, AAA offers the following steps to have a safe and happy St. Patrick’s Day celebration:
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If you’re venturing out to a pub or attending a St. Patrick’s Day party, plan ahead.
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Decide whether you’ll drink or you’ll drive – you can’t do both.
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If you will drink, designate a sober, reliable driver to get you home safely or plan to call a taxi, ride share, sober friend or family member, or use public transportation.
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If you are the designated driver – DO NOT DRINK.
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If you see a driver on the road that you suspect is impaired, pull over to a safe spot and call 911, giving police a description of the vehicle.
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And remember, if you see people who are about to drive while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.
If you’re hosting a party where alcohol is being served, be a responsible host:
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Have food and non-alcoholic beverages available.
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Remember that it takes 40 minutes or longer for alcohol from a drink to be absorbed.
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Take note of who’s coming, who drinks, and who drives.
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Make sure all of your guests designate their sober drivers in advance, or help arrange ride-sharing with other sober drivers.
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Stop serving alcohol at least an hour before your guests start to leave for home.
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Keep the numbers for local cab companies handy, and take the keys away from anyone who is thinking of driving while impaired.
“Drivers should also stay alert for pedestrians who may be impaired and behaving unpredictably,” said Dean. “Walking while intoxicated can be as deadly as drunk driving, as lack of attention and coordination puts drunk pedestrians at risk of getting hit by a vehicle. Pub crawlers are urged to cross at intersections, obey walk signals and stay aware of traffic so everyone gets home safely.”
