New Haven is home to one of the oldest and biggest St. Patrick’s Day parades in the country. In fact, in 1999, it was recognized by the Library of Congress as a CT Local Legacy. In anticipation of this year’s parade, the Irish flag has already started to appear around town.
As excitement grows, the safety of parade-goers remains an important consideration. According to injury prevention researcher, Dr. Federico Vaca, festivities like the St. Patrick’s Day Parade represent a key time to be vigilant about preventing drinking and driving. Families and others out on the roads, attending events, or just enjoying the community are at risk of being affected by someone who drives under the influence.
“It takes just one car,” Vaca said. “One second, one bad decision, can impact someone’s life, for the rest of their life.”
This does not mean that events like the parade are off limits; but it does mean that whether you drink or not, you are affected by drunk driving. The high traffic and large crowds expected at this weekend’s parade (last year 325,000 people attended) combined with liberal consumption of alcohol mean an increased risk of alcohol-impaired driving.
Vaca encouraged pedestrians and drivers alike to be aware of their surroundings and to practice the adage, “Friends don’t let friends drive drunk.”
In addition to advocating for individual awareness, Dr. Vaca engages with local police departments, the CT Department of Transportation, and Yale-New Haven Hospital to educate and encourage community mobilization around impaired driving and injury prevention. He heads the Yale Center for Injury Prevention and Control Research, aimed at reducing the personal and societal burden of injury.
To prep for the upcoming weekend of St. Paddy’s Day partying, Vaca is distributing Traffic Safety Fact Sheets to the New Haven Police Department. The quick reference sheets break down motor vehicle death and injury statistics and serve as a reminder of the toll of alcohol-impaired driving. According to Vaca, having these stats fresh on their minds is essential as police officers and community members attend events and embark out onto the roads.
Dr. Vaca is a Professor in the Yale University Department of Emergency Medicine and the Child Study Center. He is also Senior Research Faculty member and a clinically active Emergency Physician. He is hosting the 2013 Southern CT Conference on the Prevention of Alcohol-Impaired Driving this March.
The Greater New Haven St. Patrick’s Day Parade will be held this Sunday, March 10th, at 1:30pm.