It’s okay to drink. It’s definitely okay to let lose and have a good time. It is not, however, okay to drive after doing so.

St. Patrick’s Day and Spring Break (a holiday and week that have come to be known nationally as party sanctuaries) are on the verge of occurring once again. As usual, if you happen to choose to drink, you should not drive (no matter how good you think you are at maneuvering your car under the influence) and should try to find a designated driver that you can actually count on.

But what happens when your designated driver gets a tad bored, decides to have “only a few beers” and then ends up as drunk as you are?

If you are attending a party, one way to make sure your designated driver stays designated is to ask the host to take away their keys when the party begins and return them later after making sure they can still operate a vehicle sensibly. You can also purchase home breathalyzer tests now, so it might be a good investment to make to try to keep your friends protected.

If large parties don’t appeal to you and you are just planning on spending some time with a small group of friends, try to make a pact to pay for each other’s cab rides home. If each person puts in a few dollars, they can insure the well being of friends who probably could not drive themselves otherwise.

Partying is a great way to relax and unwind over St. Patrick’s Day and the break, but remember to party safely, because sometimes you only get one chance to make the right decision.