In honor of St. Patrick’s Day and the beginning of Spring Break, our latest poll asked students what their favorite type of alcohol is.

These two holidays are popular among students because they’re known for their party scenes and presence of alcohol. Although many students use these occasions as an opportunity to relax and take a break from schoolwork, many other students choose not to participate in alcohol-related activities.

Eleven out of 29 voters (38 percent) who participated in our poll shared that they do not drink.

But as can be expected, students who do drink usually prefer a particular poison. With 34 percent of the vote, or ten votes, mixed drinks are a popular selection. Whether it’s a Long Island Iced Tea or a Tequila Sunrise, cocktails are the first choice.

The second top choice for students is straight hard liquor. This choice received 5 votes or 17 percent.

The third choice among students is wine, receiving only 2 votes (7 percent). And the last choice is beer with only 1 vote and 3 percent.

For the students who don’t drink, you’re in the clear, but for those who do, you have a big responsibility. If you’re of age and plan on drinking, make it a priority to establish a safe way home.

in 2014, 9,967 people died in alcohol-related car accidents, which accounted for 31 percent of all traffic-related deaths in the United States, according to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention’s website.

And who is most at risk for being involved in one of these accidents? You guessed it: young people.

“Among drivers with BAC levels of 0.08% or higher involved in fatal crashes in 2014, three out of every 10 were between 21 and 24 years of age (30 percent),” says the CDC website. “The next two largest groups were ages 25 to 34 (29%) and 35 to 44 (24 percent).”

So if you’re planning on going out this weekend and blowing off a little steam, make sure you have safe transportation. With resources such as Uber, Lyft and other taxi services, there’s really no excuse.

Even if you end up having to be the designated driver, it’s worth missing out on one night to keep you and your friends safe.

For the crowd who does enjoy the occasional drink, check out this story on some popular bars here in Ventura County: https://www.moorparkreporter.com/4005495/student-life/top-five-bars-in-ventura-county/

And don’t forget to tune in this week for our next poll!