Over 10,000 killed each year in drunk-driving crashes; AAA offers safety tips for St. Patrick’s Day

Today is Saint Patrick’s Day—a time for celebration with green and a drink; however, organizations and law enforcement are warning adults to consume responsibly and avoid drunk driving.

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AAA claimed that Saint Patrick’s Day remained one of the deadliest times of the year.

They surveyed five years, from 2016 to 2020, and set a time frame from March 16 at 6 p.m. to March 18 at 5:59 a.m., according to a spokesperson from the company.

Their survey found that 287 people died near or during the religious holiday due to drunk-driving related crashes. 37 people were killed in 2020 alone.

The state of Ohio also saw multiple deaths during the holiday timeframe as reported by the Ohio State Highway Patrol.

State troopers saw four deaths from the 129 drunk-driving crashes they responded to from March 16, 6 p.m., to March 20, 6 a.m., in 2022.

These numbers added to the thousands of deaths that occurred throughout the United States during the five year period from 2016 to 2020.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported over 10,000 people died each year, on average, with one person dying every 45 minutes in a drunk-driving crash.

“The consequences of driving impaired are not worth the risks,” the AAA spokesperson said. “Drunk driving can result in death, jail time, the loss of your driver’s license, and higher insurance rates, as well as dozens of other unanticipated expenses ranging from attorney fees, court costs, lost wages, and vehicle towing and repairs.”

Further concerns arose because of the day the holiday fell on this year.

“This year, St. Patrick’s Day falls on a Friday, and that means more parties throughout the weekend,” Manager of Public and Government Affairs for AAA, Kara Hitchens, said. “Whether you will be celebrating at a house party or on a pub crawl, if alcohol is part of the festivities have a plan—designate a sober driver, utilize ride share such as with Lyft or Uber, take public transportation, or spend the night where you are—to ensure you get home safely.“

The company offered more tips to prevent drunk-driving crashes:

• If you’re venturing out to a pub or attending a St. Patrick’s Day party, plan ahead.
• Decide whether you’ll drink or you’ll drive – you can’t do both.
• If you will drink, designate a sober, reliable driver to get you home safely or plan to call a taxi, ride share, sober friend or family member, or use public transportation.
• If you plan on driving, commit to staying sober.
• If you see a driver on the road that you suspect is impaired, pull over to a safe spot and call 911, giving police a description of the vehicle.
• And remember, if you see people who are about to drive while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.
• If you’re hosting a party where alcohol is being served, be a responsible host:
• Have food and non-alcoholic beverages available.
• Remember that it takes 40 minutes or longer for alcohol from a drink to be absorbed.
• Take note of who’s coming, who drinks, and who drives.
• Make sure all of your guests designate their sober drivers in advance, or help arrange ride-sharing with other sober drivers.
• Stop serving alcohol at least an hour before your guests start to leave for home.
• Keep the numbers for local cab companies handy, and take the keys away from anyone who is thinking of driving while impaired.

“Drivers are also advised to keep an eye out for pedestrians who have had too much to drink and may jaywalk and not obey traffic signals,” Hitchens advised. “Walking while intoxicated can also be deadly, as lack of attention and coordination puts drunk pedestrians at risk of getting hit by a vehicle. Pub crawlers are urged to keep an eye out for cars, cross at intersections, and obey walk signals.”

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