St. Patrick’s Day survival guide: Don’t add DUI to your shamrock shenanigans

DUI, Crime

Getting your green and grog on for St. Patrick’s Day this year? First, take in this sobering statistic: over St. Patrick’s Day 2009 – 2013, a total of 276 people died in drunk-driving accidents. Over half of those accidents were caused by drivers whose blood alcohol content (BAC) was higher than the legal limit of 0.08. Authorities are well aware of the risks on St. Patrick’s Day, and the weekend leading up to March 17, so you can be sure to see extra police and DUI traffic stops on the road this week.

MOREThe number one cost of getting a DUI

If you’re planning to host a St. Patrick’s Day shindig, keep these five tips in mind to avoid liability, spare a friend from arrest, or even save a life.

  1. Encourage your guests not to drive to your party. If they show up without a car, they probably won’t drive off in one.
  2. Provide plenty of non-alcohol drink options, such as water, soda or (green) tea.
  3. Have a list of transportation options handy, such as designated drivers, taxis, Uber or Lyft, to help friends find safe ways home and avoid driving drunk.
  4. Get your own breathalyzer for $100 or less. While you shouldn’t bet your legal case on a personal Breathalyzer, it’s nice to have a way to roughly gauge BAC.
  5. If you or a friend do find yourself in legal trouble, contact an experienced criminal defense or DUI/DWI lawyer.

Additional tips for staying safe this St. Patrick’s Day? Leave them in the comments.