Stay Safe this St. Patrick’s Day, Never Drink and Drive, So Everyone Gets Home Safely

If your St. Patrick’s Day plans include green beer, Irish whiskey, or some other form of alcohol, the Michigan Liquor Control Commission (MLCC) urges Michiganders to never drink and drive, and plan ahead with a sober ride home.   

“Being half Irish and named ‘Pat,’ I know this holiday can be a lot of fun for many people, but keep it safe for everyone,” said MLCC Chair Pat Gagliardi.  “Don’t make the bad choice to get behind the wheel after drinking – a choice that has potentially deadly consequences for you, your passengers and everyone on the road. Even one drink can impair your ability to drive. Before you put your keys in the ignition, remind yourself: buzzed driving is drunk driving.”

St. Patrick’s Day (the #1 day for beer drinking*) is one of the deadliest holidays on the roads due to drunk driving. Unfortunately, it has become for many revelers, a day to binge drink and get drunk, endangering so many lives, including their own. With the holiday falling on a Friday this year, bars and restaurants are expected to be especially busy.

Reminders for a safe St. Patrick’s Day:

• Never binge drink, generally defined as four or more drinks for women and five or more drinks for men in a two-hour period.
• Have a pre-set limit. Remember that no one can force you to have "just one more" -- or even one drink.
• Have a plan before you leave the house on how you’ll get home safely. Designate a sober driver to drive you home, or easily arrange for rideshare services by booking an Uber or Lyft through a phone app. Local taxicab operators are also just a phone call away.
• Never let a friend drive drunk. Take the keys away and arrange a safe way for them to get home.
• If you see a drunk driver on the road, call 911 to reach law enforcement.

The MLCC also reminds liquor licensees of their responsibilities to keep customers safe -- to check IDs and serve only those of legal drinking age and to not overserve patrons. Licensees shall maintain order and know their establishment's capacity limits to avoid overcrowding that can lead to obstructed exits which are safety and fire hazards.

The mission of the Michigan Liquor Control Commission (MLCC) is to make alcoholic beverages available for consumption while protecting the consumer and the general public through regulation of those involved in the sale and distribution of these alcohol beverage products.

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Source: WalletHub (data is based on information from the National Retail Federation).