AAA: When Hops and Hoops Collide, How are You Getting Home?

Charleston, West Virginia (Friday, March 15, 2019) - With St. Patrick’s Day falling on the same day as the NCAA basketball tournament’s “Selection Sunday”, no one will have trouble finding a reason to party this weekend. AAA is warning party-goers and sports fans to have a game plan for getting home if drinking alcohol is involved.

Since both days typically align with drinking, it could be an especially dangerous weekend on West Virginia roads. “Anyone who plans to drink this weekend should also plan for a designated driver, ride share or some other safe option that will keep you, your friends and everyone else from undue risk,” advised Tammy Arnette, Senior Public Affairs Specialist for AAA.. “The luck of the Irish isn’t enough to get you home safe.”

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 59 people (37% of all crash fatalities) were killed in drunk-driving crashes over the 2017 St. Patrick’s Day holiday weekend nationwide.

"The decision to drink and drive is a fatal one," said Arnette. "Just don't do it. There are plenty of options to get home safely. Planning is key."

AAA offers the following steps to have a safe and happy St. Patrick’s Day and Selection Sunday celebration:

• Before heading out the door to a house party or favorite pub, decide whether you’ll drink or you’ll drive – you can’t do both.
• If you will drink, designate a sober, reliable driver to get you home safely or plan to call a taxi, ride share, sober friend or family member, or use public transportation.
• If you plan on driving, commit to staying sober.
• If you see a driver on the road that you suspect is impaired, pull over to a safe spot and call 911, giving police a description of the vehicle.
• And remember, if you see people who are about to drive while impaired, take their keys and help them make other arrangements to get to where they are going safely.

If you’re hosting a party, here are tips for being a responsible host:

• Offer non-alcoholic beverages as an option. Festive mocktail recipes are available at aaa.com/mocktails
• Make sure all of your guests designate their sober drivers in advance, or help arrange ride-sharing with other sober drivers.
• Stop serving alcohol at least an hour before your guests start to leave for home.
• If necessary, take the keys away from anyone who is thinking of driving while impaired.