Video: Driving Smart: Drunk Driving

01:33 min

By Cars.com Editors

March 6, 2017

St. Patrick’s Day is known as a time to wear green, maybe drink a few pints and celebrate with friends, but it’s important to do so responsibly. Cars.com’s Matt Schmitz provides tips for a safe St. Patrick’s Day celebration.

(upbeat music) St. Patrick's Day is March 17th, lasses and lads. For many, it's a day to don some green garb, eat a Reuben sandwich, and maybe get a wee bit tipsy drinking green beer.

But beyond turning your teeth weird colors, there are far more serious risks to consider. St. Patrick's Day DUI fatalities are nearly double the daily average with more than 50 in the US. Moreover, this year the holiday falls on a Friday and instances of drunk driving are already higher on weekends. Studies have shown that roughly three quarters of fatal St. Patrick's Day car crashes involve a driver whose blood alcohol content is twice the legal limit of 0.08. Now, a man of average weight will reach the legal BAC limit after three drinks in one hour. For a woman, it's two drinks. Just because you're under the legal limit doesn't mean you should assume you're okay to drive. Even one drink can impair a driver's judgment and reaction times. Here's a plan to get you through your St. Patty's celebration. If you plan on drinking, plan on not driving. Designate a sober driver before the revelry kicks off. If you have been drinking, do not drive. Even for a short distance. Seriously, you have options. Just call a taxi or an Uber or a Lyft or take public transportation. Many cities have ride programs available. If you see a driver on the road who appears to be intoxicated, pull over to a safe location and notify police. You could be saving someone's life. I've got my ride. Let's launch 'em. (upbeat music)