St. Patrick’s Day weekend is one of the biggest party weekends of the year. While many will be celebrating the holiday with alcohol, a few will be fulfilling the responsible role of designated driver. This role can be challenging during such a busy and festive weekend. But these tips can help ease the stress that is often associated with being a designated driver.
Resist Temptation
One of the reasons that being a designated driver can be so stressful is because it becomes increasingly tempting to drink as the night progresses. Most celebrations occur at the local bar or surrounded by tons of cheers and green beer, making it harder to say “No, thank you!”. Remember, this is a serious commitment, and if you give in to temptation, you are putting you and your fellow passengers’ safety at risk. If you are afraid you can’t avoid having a drink, be sure to have a backup plan such as a cab or public transportation to get everyone home.
Plan Ahead
In order to reduce the stress associated with getting our friends home safely, planning ahead is recommended for any designed driver. Deciding how long you are going to stay, what music is going to be played, and how many stops you are going to make ahead of time will drastically reduce the chance of any arguing that may take place during the ride home. Making sure that all of your friends agree with these plans ahead of time is also essential for reducing stress on the big night.
Take Turns
St. Patrick’s Day weekend offers plenty of opportunities for everyone to go out and have fun. There’s no reason that one person alone will need to serve as a designated driver during the entire weekend. Taking turns with other designated drivers throughout the weekend ensures that nobody gets overly stressed out, and everyone enjoys the opportunity to have as much celebratory fun as they want.
Keeping Friends Safe
Keeping an eye out for your friends’ safety is a key responsibility of any designated driver. That includes making sure that safety belts are used and all members of the party leave together. Still, despite our best efforts, some of our friends may celebrate a little too much and require medical assistance. Important signs to look out for include confusion, slow breathing, seizures, or pale skin.
No matter how prepared one may be, accidents or illness can still occur. At Dallas Medical Center, we are proud to be the closest accredited Level IV trauma center in the area. Our full-service ER and trauma center is always open to ensure you get the care you need.