St. Patrick’s Day is right around the corner, and it’s not the luck of the Irish that will keep the roads safe – it’s planning ahead for a safe and sober way home. This year, St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Thursday (March 17th). Some people may take Friday off and plan on partying for a long weekend.
Unfortunately, some of these people might also be driving home from their festivities and therefore, the night out has also become potentially dangerous. There are parties at people’s homes, at bars, at lodges, during and after parades and in entire neighborhoods. Even if you will not be celebrating this St. Patrick’s Day, keep in mind that in 2009, 1,119 occupants of other vehicles were killed in crashes involving alcohol-impaired drivers, so pay attention to others on the road.
On St. Patrick’s Day 2009, 37 percent of the drivers and motorcyclists involved in fatal crashes had a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .08 or above, according to statistics by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). And remember, you don’t have to be “falling down drunk†to be too impaired to drive safely. Even a few drinks can impair driving…and a buzzed driving crash has the same consequences as a drunk driving crash.
Learn more about Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving on Facebook and Twitter.
If you are going to drink, plan ahead. Get a designated driver, keep the number of a taxi company with you, learn about public transportation, find a Sober Ride program in your area and don’t drive buzzed!
I was not compensated for this post but believe that this message is important to share in an effort to save lives. Information provided by Global Influence, NHTSA, the Ad Council and Buzzed Driving is Drunk Driving.
