In the United States, where St. Patrick’s Day celebrations started out as a way to celebrate the many Americans with Irish heritage, the holiday has become a drinking holiday, a mix of parades, bar crawls, and special green drinks. It is the fourth most popular drinking holiday in the country behind New Year’s Eve, Christmas, and July 4.
With the inevitable overindulgence by some of those out for St. Patrick’s Day events, there are increased possibilities of drunk driving car accidents. About half of the fatal motor vehicle accidents in the United States on St. Patrick’s Day 2019 involved a drunk driver. There are several steps you can take to protect yourself and your loved ones from harm. Here are a few of them:
- Choose a designated driver. A person who is willing to stay sober during the celebrations should be the one behind the wheel. If a person is willing to do so, the people who are getting a ride can thank that designated driver by paying the way for the driver and covering the tab for food and non-alcoholic drinks and other expenses. It is a nice thing to do and also will wind up being much cheaper than a car accident, loss of license, jail time, and other costs that can result from drunk driving.
- Have an alternate plan. If you do not use a designated driver, call a friend or family member, use public transit, or call a rideshare service or cab to come pick you up. Rideshare services are a great tool, as they are often less expensive than getting a cab and available in more areas. The other option is to rent a hotel room within a short walking distance of where you are. Drunk pedestrians make mistakes too, so you want to get everyone to a safe place as quickly as possible.
- If you are the designated driver. A sober person is one who has not consumed any alcohol or drugs, so avoid all intoxicating substances.
- Watch your friends. Keep an eye out for friends who may be trying to get behind the wheel after a few drinks, as well as friends who leave their drinks unattended. It is easy to put something in someone’s drink if they are unaware and it could turn a fun night into a nightmare.
- No open containers. Make sure no one gets into the vehicle with open containers or drugs, as this can lead to fines and jail time. Intoxicated people may not even realize they are holding a drink, so the sober person may need to act quickly to prevent this.
- Remember to drive carefully. Look out for intoxicated people who are behind the wheel and those on foot. Either way, the intoxicated person is more likely to get into an accident and a driver needs to be on guard to avoid a collision with a car or a pedestrian.
- Take less traveled roads. If possible, avoid the main drags where bars and events are and drive on side roads or smaller roads. Where there are less cars, there are fewer chances of coming across a drunk driver.
Media Car Accident Lawyers at the Law Office of Deborah M. Truscello Help Clients Injured in Car Accidents Caused by Impaired Drivers
Along with the celebration of heritage and merriment of St. Patrick’s Day comes an uptick in drinking and driving. If you were involved in an accident involving an impaired driver, reach out to the Media car accident lawyers at the Law Office of Deborah M. Truscello. We will investigate the cause of the accident and fight to obtain the compensation for which you are entitled. Learn more at a free consultation by filling out an online registration form or calling (610) 892-4940. Our office is in Media, Pennsylvania. We represent clients in Media, Bucks County, Chester County, Delaware County, Lancaster, Montgomery County, Norristown, Philadelphia, Reading, West Chester, and throughout Pennsylvania.
