South Florida Injury Lawyers Blog
Whether you are spending the week in Florida for Spring Break or just making it a long 3-day weekend, motorists are reminded to celebrate responsibly. As we conclude our Spring Break 2011 series of related topics on teen drivers, distracted driving and drunk driving, we want to remind motorists to have fun and to stay safe.
Our Fort Lauderdale accident attorneys know that St. Patrick’s Day is mostly celebrated with green beer and pinches for those failing to wear green but coupled with the start of March Madness and Spring Break, it also signals the start of the busiest stretch of the year on South Florida roads and beaches.
St. Patrick’s Day, regarded as a public holiday, is celebrated on March 17th internationally. Here are a few interesting tidbits about the holiday itself:
-Originated as a Roman Catholic holiday and became an official feast day in the 17th century. Today, we know it as a celebration of the Irish culture.
-Saint Patrick was the patron saint of Ireland.
-Shamrock was a teaching method he used to explain Christian doctrine.
-The original color linked to St. Patrick was blue but over time evolved to green.
-Considered a celebratory day from the beginning, Saint Patrick’s feast day was celebrated as early as the ninth and tenth centuries.
-Tallahassee has been hosting an annual St. Patrick’s Day event since 1999. In 2010, the city hosted the first annual St. Patrick’s Day parade and Downtown Get Down.
Special events and holidays like March Madness and St. Patty’s day often lead to a lot of binge drinking by young adults. This year they both happen to fall during Spring Break.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines binge drinking as a period of drinking that brings an individual’s blood alcohol concentration level (BAC) to .08 or above. Typically it takes males 5 drinks in 2 hours to get to that level and females need to consume 4 drinks in the same amount of time. Binge drinking is common in college age students up to age 26.
In an effort to prevent drunk driving, Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles offers the following safety tips:
-Young adults on medicine should read the warning labels on prescription medicine bottles before consuming alcohol. Certain side effects can inhibit your ability to drive even if consuming only one alcoholic beverage.
-If you are out with friends, take the keys of the driver if they begin to consume alcohol.
-Designate a driver before you leave. If no driver is designated and everyone is drinking call a taxi or take public transportation to get everyone in the group home safely.
-If you suspect someone driving under the influence call *347 on your cell phone to report the driver.
Young adults need to know their limit for alcohol consumption. Binge drinking can lead to serious injury or even fatality not only in car accidents but in other personal injury accidents like drowning or acts of violence. Be responsible and in control at all times in order to avoid these kinds of accidents.
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in West Palm Beach or Fort Lauderdale, contact the experienced attorneys at Freeman, Mallard, Sharp & Gonzalez to discuss your rights. For a free consultation call 1-800-529-2368.