Shamrocks, and Leprechauns and Pots ‘o Gold! Oh, My!

What began as a day of religious revelry for the patron saint of Ireland has turned into a worldwide party, celebrating in the Irish culture with parades, festivals and at least in the U.S., lots of drinking.

With nearly 33.3 million Americans claiming Irish ancestry (7X the actual population of Ireland!), U.S. citizens don’t mess around when it comes to celebrating Ireland’s tutelary hero. Nationwide, St. Patrick’s Day falls behind only New Year’s Eve, Christmas Day and the Fourth of July as a popular drinking holiday.

With this merriment comes some sobering statistics:

• Every St. Patrick’s Day, there is a spike in DUI arrests
• 75 percent of drivers pulled over on St. Patrick’s Day are 2X over the legal limit
• Between 2009 and 2013, there were 276 drunk-driving fatalities on St. Patrick’s Day.
• There is an alcohol-related crash fatality every 46 minutes.

Celebrate responsibly to avoid becoming a statistic this St. Patrick’s Day. Remember to:

• Create a plan to get home safely
• Designate a sober driver or have cab contacts ready
• Do not get in a car with a drunk driver
• If you feel someone is too intoxicated to drive, help them make arrangements to get home safely.

At Beattie Law Firm, your safety is our priority. We encourage all of our clients and their families to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day responsibly. However, if you or a loved one become a victim, don’t hesitate to call. We can help.