St. Patrick’s Day Numbers

The Numbers Behind the Holiday: St. Patrick’s Day 2022

 

According to the personal financial website, WalletHub, over half (54%) of Americans plan to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. The March 17th holiday not only has millions of people wearing green, it is also one of the biggest drinking days of the year. 

As noted by WalletHub:

  • An estimated $5.87 billion will be spent on the Irish holiday.
  • On average, individuals will spend around $42 while celebrating the day.
  • Almost all (80%) of those celebrating St. Patrick’s Day will be wearing green.
  • Partygoers consume an average of 4.2 drinks on St. Paddy’s Day.
  • Over 30% of men report binge drinking during the festivities.
  • Over 13 million pints of Guinness is estimated to be consumed across the globe during St. Patrick’s Day.
  • Beer sales increase 174% and spirit sales increase 153%.

Alcohol-Related Accidents on St. Patrick’s Day

In 2019, 57 people were killed in alcohol-related traffic accidents over the holiday period. Every 38 minutes a life is lost to drunk driving crashes during the holiday. In addition, over 60% of fatal St. Patrick’s Day involve a driver impaired by alcohol. 

Drinking is not only dangerous for drivers, it can be dangerous for pedestrians. Per WalletHub’s fact sheet, over 30% of pedestrians killed in traffic accidents during the St. Patrick’s Day holiday in 2019 had a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or higher.

Read all of WalletHub’s “2022 St. Patrick’s Day Facts” here

If you plan to go out on St. Patrick’s Day make sure to designate a sober driver. Plan ahead and walk with a friend. Pedestrians are at a high risk of serious injury or death during the St. Patrick’s Day holiday. Remaining sober can help ensure that you arrive safely at your destination. If you want to stop but are unable to on your own, it is strongly recommended that you seek treatment.