St. Patrick's Day Safety

We may still be four days out from Savannah's St. Patrick's Day parade and the city's official celebration doesn't begin until Tuesday...but a look around downtown will show you the revelers are already starting to arrive. Thousands of people pack Savannah each year around this time with one goal in mind...to have a good time. Metro Police and other law enforcement officers from across the area will be out to make sure that happens in a safe manner. “When you take a job as a Savannah-Chatham police officer, you know you're going to be working St. Patrick's Day - you know you're going to be working the weekend probably on either side of St. Patrick's Day - so yeah - it's all hands on deck - all 600-plus from our agency and many from other agencies,” says Captain Mike Wilkins.

They'll be keeping order and keeping you out of trouble. 2 prisoner processing areas will be set up in City Market and on Factor's Walk - plus a mobile command post centrally located. Increased police presence will make an officer readily available if needed - but the rules of caution should still apply says Capt. Wilkins, “You still need to be careful - have your wits about you - make sure you know where you're going, what you're doing - make sure you walk in lighted areas - walk with somebody else.”

Even for those leaving the festivities - the focus on safety remains... AAA’s Tow-To-Go once again offering a free ride home for you *and* your car if you've had a few too many to get there on your own. “The program's really designed to get bars and restaurants, where someone really went out and over-indulged and wasn't ready with a plan, because those are the folks that are most likely to get behind the wheel when they shouldn't,” says AAA’s Maria Joanna Newton.
You do not have to be a AAA member to take advantage of the Tow-To-Go service. It is completely free - just call 1-800-AAA-help. Triple-A has partnered with Budweiser to offer the service for years because they say the reason most folks cite for not calling a cab if they've had too much to drink - they don't want to leave their car.