Staying Safe on Saint Patrick’s Day

Everyone is Irish on Saint Patrick’s Day, right? But staying safe during this holiday takes more than just having the luck of the Irish. We’ve put together a guide to keep you and yours safe while chanting “Erin go Bragh” from day to night!

Use the tips below to practice good judgement and stay safe during all of the parades, pub crawls, and celebrations.

Stay home vs. going out. The ultimate way to keep yourself safe is to bring the party inside. Host your own Saint Patrick’s Day party at your place, or go to a party at a friend’s where you can hang out for the day and night. The less transportation needed the better. Staying in can also be a lot of fun! Plan the ultimate St. Paddy’s day celebration with Irish snacks and deck out your digs with DIY holiday decorations. 

Have a designated driver. If you are going out, make sure you have a trusted designated driver. This person should have a proven track record, and not be known to change their mind halfway through the night. But if they do...

Make sure you have ride sharing apps ready. If you use ride sharing apps, be sure to have them pre-downloaded so you don’t have to worry about that while you’re out. If you're in a location where they don’t offer that type of transportation, add the number to a local taxi service in your phone just in case. 

Rent a room. If you’re planning on going downtown, save yourself the hassle of figuring out who will be the DD and rent a hotel room. This will give everyone peace of mind in knowing there is a place to go whenever you want to leave. 

Don’t forget food. It’s pretty self-explanatory, but having a little something extra in your stomach (think -- carbs) will help you avoid seeing green in ways you don’t want to on Saint Patrick's Day, if you know what we mean.

Never leave your drink unattended. That includes never taking an open drink from someone you don’t know or someone you just met

Communicate your plan to someone not with you. It’s always better to give someone a heads up about your whereabouts when heading into a large group of people. Let your parents, friend, sibling, anyone, know where you are likely going to be for the day/night.  

If you are the designated driver, be cautious of others. You’re already being responsible by agreeing to get your group home safely, but you can only hope others are doing the same. Keep an eye out for other drivers and pedestrians to avoid accidents. Also, it might be a good time to talk to your agent about your auto limits to be sure you’re sufficiently covered in case you need to use them some day. Don’t have an agent? Click here to find one in your local area.

Saint Patrick’s Day has come a long way since it was considered a strictly religious holiday and the nation’s pubs were closed on March 17. Enjoy the day, but be sure to keep yourself and others safe. Sláinte!