Does St. Patrick’s Day Have the Most Drunk Drivers?

St. Patrick’s Day is coming up soon on March 17. Since the holiday tradition is to drink a lot of Irish beer and celebrate, St. Patrick’s Day ranks among the most popular drinking days … Especially when the worldwide estimation of consumed Guinness beer this year is 13 million pints!

It causes many to wonder if St. Patrick’s Day turns deadly fast when the drinking can eventually turn into a decision to drive impaired. Do drunk drivers increase during this green-loving holiday?

St. Patrick’s Day Statistics on Drunk Drivers

It’s unfortunate, but St. Patrick’s Day does see a spike of drunk driving every year. Between 2012 to 2016 during the St. Patrick’s Day holiday period, there were 269 fatalities due to drunk driving crashes. In 2016 alone, 60 people were killed in drunk driving crashes over the holiday period, which amounts to 39 percent of crash fatalities overall. And 75 percent of fatal St. Patrick’s Day car crashes involve a driver with a BAC that’s twice the legal limit.

Safety Tips During St. Patty’s Day

While you’re planning your festivities, don’t forget to designate a sober driver or an alternate ride home if you plan on drinking. If a friend or family member is about to drink and drive, take their keys away and make other arrangements to get them home. And if you see or suspect a drunk driver on the road, contact your local law enforcement right away.

At Smart Start, we provide Ignition Interlocks that keep someone from driving their vehicle drunk. With our voluntary program, you can guarantee yourself and your passengers a safe ride by providing a breath test to prove your sobriety. Ignition Interlocks are symbiotic with your vehicle and won’t impede your everyday routine since tests are simple and fast! If you want to know more about the voluntary program, feel free to call our Customer Care Center at (800) 831-3299. We’d be happy to answer your questions or address any concerns.

Smart Start hopes you have a happy and safe St. Patrick’s Day!

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