With the Covid-19 outbreak resulting in St Patrick’s Day parades been cancelled across the country, road safety professionals and An Garda Síochána are appealing to all those planning on celebrating the day with parties or social gatherings to have a designated driver or other safe way to get home if drinks are on the menu, to ensure A&E departments are not clogged up the day. Other suggestions include booking a taxi and arranging to stay with friends or family if travelling for an evening out.
While coronavirus may be affecting road safety policing in other European countries, this is not the case in Ireland as An Garda Síochána will be busy as usual in the lead up to and during St Patrick’s Day. The devices used by An Garda Síochána to test for the presence of intoxicants have interchangeable mouthpieces that are changed for every test and there is no threat of spreading the virus this way.
So if you are going celebrating this St Patrick’s Day, make it for a fun and festive celebration but be considerate of others in your community who may not be celebrating. This year, St Patrick’s Day falls on a Tuesday, so some people may plan on partying for a long weekend.
Some of these people might also be driving home from their festivities, and therefore the night out has also become potentially dangerous. There are parties at people’s homes and at bars. Hospital accident and emergency departments across the country traditionally report a huge increase in the number of admissions on St Patrick’s Day, and a high percentage of these are pedestrians who have fallen after over-indulging on alcohol. These pedestrians are not alone putting themselves at risk when using the streets and roads but other road users also. Please make sure you are wearing a high visibility vest/ jacket and have a torch and remember to walk on the correct side of the road, facing oncoming traffic if there is no footpath.
"If you are going to party, plan ahead," said Deirdre Caulfield, road safety officer with Galway County Council. "Keep the number of a taxi company with you, learn about public transportation, and get home safely. Even if you will not be celebrating this St Patrick’s Day, keep in mind that in the past people have been involved in collisions on St Patrick’s Day, so pay attention to others on the road."
