You Don’t Have to Drink to Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 46 percent of adult Americans plan to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Although not all of them will be celebrating this Irish holiday by drinking, 20 percent of them will. When drinking on a holiday, especially this particular one, people tend to go overboard and binge drink.

Binge drinking is defined as excessive alcohol consumption within a short period of time. For men, this is four or more drinks in a two hour time period, and women five or more drinks also in a two hour time period.

These binge drinkers sometimes make the wrong decision and get behind the wheel of a car. Between 2009 and 2013, 276 fatal accidents occurred on St. Patrick’s Day. That’s 276 preventable deaths. Officers are urging party goers to stay off the roads today.

Binge drinking can also cause other problems, like alcohol poisoning, neurological damage, unintentional injuries, etc.

There are other fun and sober ways to celebrate the holiday. Start a new tradition that does not involve alcohol. And if you are going to overindulge in anything on St. Patrick’s Day, make it Irish Potatoes, not green beer.