While many here in the United States take Saint Patrick’s Day to celebrate Irish heritage all whilst consuming copious amounts of alcohol, March 17th actually commemorates the arrival of Christianity in Ireland as well as marks the death of the holiday’s namesake, Saint Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland.
As you can imagine, with the amount of alcohol consumed on this holiday, DUI’s become a very real danger on the roads. Consequently, law enforcement will be out in full force trying to catch those who hit the streets after having too much green beer.
“St. Patrick’s Day is a fun celebration, with parades and music,” said California Office of Traffic Safety Director, Rhonda Craft. “But with alcohol as a staple at most celebrations, OTS wants to remind you to make sure you have a plan to get home safely before the festivities begin.”
In 2015, 30 people lost their lives on St. Patrick’s Day in traffic collisions. Don’t become a statistic. Heed a few simple tips and avoid a St. Patrick’s Day DUI or worse.
- Appoint a designated driver. But it’s not enough to merely appoint the DD. You need make sure that they remain sober. Being a designated driver means actually remaining sober, not just drinking less that their passengers.
- If you are going to be a designated driver, the OTS recommends downloading the app, “DDVIP” on your smartphone for help finding California bars and restaurants which offer incentives to designated drivers such as free non-alcoholic drinks and appetizers.
- If neither you or none of your friends are willing to be a designated driver, consider public transportation. This includes taxi cabs and busses as well as ride-sharing apps like Uber and Lyft.
- Don’t drink. As difficult as this may be, it is the only surefire way to avoid a California DUI if you plan on driving this St. Patrick’s Day.
The post Avoid a St. Patrick’s Day DUI appeared first on Law Offices of Taylor and Taylor - DUI Central.