Personal Injury and St. Patty’s Day
Don’t depend on dumb luck: Celebrate St. Patty’s Day safely!
You might be surprised to know that St. Patrick’s Day is not a holiday full of bleak personal injury and car accident statistics. In fact, According to the most dangerous United States holiday list, St. Patrick’s Day does not make the top six. This certainly does not mean you are free from personal injury and harm’s way on St. Patty’s Day. In fact, traffic authorities say that in 2009, over one-third of all car accidents that occurred in the United States on March 17th involved alcohol. The accidents resulted in almost 50 deaths.
This weekend drunk driving will be weighing heavy on the minds of law enforcement officials after the tragedy that occurred this past Thursday in Texas. If you did not hear about what happened, two people were killed and 23 hospitalized for personal injury early Thursday after a car crashed through temporary barricades into a crowd of pedestrians at the South by Southwest Music festival. The car had been stopped by police checking for drunk drivers at a nearby gas station. The intoxicated driver then weaved through traffic to avoid police and sped the wrong way down a one-way street, Austin Police Chief Art Acevedo said. The driver was subdued with a stun gun and taken into custody.
Don’t let the reckless behavior of someone else put your life in jeopardy. Don’t let one bad decision cause you to jeopardize your own life and the lives of others.
Follow these easy steps to enjoy a safe St. Patrick’s Day:- Plan a safe way home before the festivities begin
- Have a designated driver
- If you’re intoxicated, use a taxi, call a sober friend or family member, or use public transportation to get home safely
- If you happen to see a drunk driver on the road, contact your local law enforcement
- If you know someone who is about to drive while drunk, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely
- Travel in numbers. Crowds are an inevitable part of St. Patty’s Day weekend. Make sure you stay with the people you are with and do not separate from your group.
- Keep your wallet in your front pocket & watch your purse. Pit pocketing often occurs on St. Patty’s day due to crowded festivals, events, parades, etc. Be very mindful of your pot of gold.
- Do not forget to watch your drink. Do not leave it unattended and then go back to drink it. Who knows who could have picked it up or put something in it?
- Charge your cell phone before you go out. If you do become separated from your group, it will be very important you have a working cell phone. Likewise, if you are a designated driver, you may need to reach members of your group.
- Have someone know what your plans are for the evening. Along with having your cell phone charged, it is always a good idea to have someone know where you will be for the night. Tell a relative where you plan on going, and who you will be with for St. Patty’s Day. It’s always better to be safe than sorry!
Be safe. Do not drink and drive. Remember, good health and happiness is the real pot of gold!