Nobody wants to feel like the odd one out at a party—especially not on St. Patrick’s Day. If you’re planning to join in on the festivities this March, you’re best off putting a plan in place now to get you home after a long night of drinking. Most typical weekend and social drinkers underestimate the danger that “only a few drinks” can pose once they hit the road. You should never drink and drive.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association’s release on drunk driving consequences, 59 individuals in 2017 alone were killed in drunk driving crashes that occurred over the St. Patrick’s Day holiday period. Those 59 people accounted for 37% of all crash fatalities. When you choose to drive after a few beers, you’re choosing to endanger those around you—do you really want to become a statistic?

Luckily for those that love a little celebration, we’ve compiled a few helpful and simple tricks to keep you off the road this Saint Patty’s Day. Whether you end up relying on one or several of these suggestions, you can take comfort in knowing you’re doing your part to keep the people around you safe.

Don’t Drink and Drive This St. Patrick’s Day: Three Best Ways to Avoid Drinking and Driving

Plan Alternate Transportation

If you’re in a city with ample public transit options, you may be in luck. Many areas elect to keep transit running later into the night than they typically would for Saint Patrick’s Day revelers. In some cases, the costs associated with public transit are waived or decreased significantly to encourage those celebrating to get home safely.

But what about if you find yourself out in the boondocks? While you may not have the benefit of easy, cheap public transportation at your disposal, a safe taxi ride is only a phone call away. Rideshare apps are also great options for individuals looking to get home without a hitch. If you can get a few friends in the car with you, you’ll be able to cut down on transportation costs.

Designate a Driver

While it may baffle you that anybody would be willing to play DD on St. Patrick’s Day, you’d probably be surprised at the number of people who don’t feel compelled to celebrate quite the same way you do. Get in touch with friends, relatives, and other invitees of any events you’re attending; it’s more than likely someone won’t be partaking in alcohol.

Host a Party at Home

Some of us are intimidated by public transportation; others can’t afford the run-up costs that can come with taxi or rideshare services. If you find yourself in either one of these groups, you may be best off hosting a party at home—no need to drive back and risk a DWI if you’re already there!

If you do elect to host your own party, consider planning ahead and contacting guests about their own plans to get home. If you know that a large group of people will be left scrambling to find a way back, consider offering to arrange a ride for them. You can’t control what other individuals do, but you can help set them on the path to making good choices.

Don’t drink and drive during this St. Patrick’s Day season. You’ll be making the decision to put your life and the lives of countless others at risk. We understand that you want to have fun, but drinking and driving is never acceptable.

Enjoy taking part in this year’s St. Patrick’s Day festivities—green beer and all—but do so responsibly. Never drink and drive. Not only do you become a danger to yourself and everybody around you, but there are serious consequences if you’re caught driving under the influence.

If you or someone you know has been arrested for drunk driving and needs a reliable, discreet ignition interlock device (IID), trust in RoadGuard Interlock—we’re the fastest, easiest interlock provider.

 

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