For many, the st. Patrick’s Day is a chance to celebrate at home, in a bar or at a parade with friends and loved ones as the season changes and sunny spring weather begins.
But the day can also be a magnet for alcohol driving, with deadly consequences.
Two years ago at St. On the five st. Patrick’s days before the COVID-19 pandemic, about 60 people were killed each year by drunk drivers, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
“The international celebration is often recognized by adults as a time for gatherings in bars and pubs,” the security agency said last week. “Unfortunately, drinking one night can lead to fatal consequences if plans are not made to get home safely.”
Walking during alcohol, when a person accidentally falls or walks down the street, can also be dangerous. By 2020, 30% of pedestrians killed in road accidents would not have been legally able to drive, NHTSA data said.
For everyone on a st. Patrick’s Day meeting – drivers and walkers alike – at the end of the night to get home safely, security officials carry a number of recommendations.
Chief among them: never drink and drive, and also never make a friend. Hire a sober driver at the start of the festivities, or plan to take a ride service like Uber or Lyft. If a driver has been drinking, do not get into the car.
Steven Cliff, the NHTSA deputy administrator, encouraged motorists to remember that “Buzzed driving is drunk driving.”
“If you’re planning to drink this St. Patrick’s Day, plan a safe way home,” Cliff said.
For drivers who see a drunk driver on the road, police are calling, his agency stressed.
The people who have a st. Guests should also cut off alcohol in time to sober people up before going home. They may also consider taking guests’ keys at the beginning of the night.
“Please do not let the deadly consequences of alcohol and drug driving drive to ruin the festivities of St. Patrick’s Day,” said then NHTSA Deputy Administrator Heidi King in 2018. “Make a plan to get home safely.”
Massachusetts Public Safety Department opened similar warnings Thursday morning.
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