Arrests on St. Patrick’s Day 2019 were down in Colorado

If there were drunk drivers out on the highways on St. Patrick’s Day, the Colorado State Patrol couldn’t find them — and they were looking pretty hard.

According to their statement to the press, State Patrol officers responded to one known alcohol-related crash on Friday. Since St. Patrick’s Day, which is one of the biggest “party days” of the year and known for its revelry among beer drinkers, was over a weekend, officers likely anticipated more of a problem with drunk driving. Instead, they think that the fact the actual holiday fell on a Sunday may have helped cut things down a bit.

Perhaps people are also finally starting to make better choices about how to find transportation home when they’ve been out drinking. Let’s review a few of the best options you have:

1. A designated driver — If you go drinking with a regular crowd of buddies, everyone should take a turn being the designated driver for the evening.
2. A friend on standby — If you have a friend or relative who doesn’t go out to party, see if he or she is willing to hop in the car and pick you up when you’re ready to come home.
3. Public transportation — As long as you check the schedule of your local bus system and keep it in mind, this is always a viable option.
4. Ridesharing — Uber, Lyft and a number of other similar companies offer affordable transportation home after a night on the town. On holidays, many offer discounts to riders to show their community spirit.
5. Car services — Did you drive yourself out and then over-imbibe? The National Directory of Designated Drivers (NDDD) maintains a list of driving services who will pick you up, take you home and then take you back to get your car in the morning.

All of these options are far better than a charge of driving under the influence — which can absolutely turn your life upside down. If you do make a mistake, however, make sure that you get experienced legal representation in order to best protect your interests.