Veishea weekend is dangerous.  

Despite Iowa State’s best efforts to provide attractive, enticing activities for the “official Veishea” that will keep more than 31,000 students safe and out of trouble, Veishea still is largely a party. Although students can party any time of the year, Veishea always provides an excuse to take debauchery to a whole new level.  

On Monday we said in an editorial that “Rioting, dismantling light poles, lighting dumpsters on fire and pushing them down Lincoln Way are Veishea traditions almost as time-honored as cherry pies.” Although that statement was made in a tongue-in-cheek way (which, unfortunately, is difficult to convey in print), it caught some attention. It cannot be denied, however, that in recent years Veishea can be dangerous if party-goes and other celebrants let themselves go instead of remaining vigilant about their state of mind and exercising common sense.  

Naturally, the Ames and ISU police forces, together with the Story County sheriff’s office, probably will be on high alert this year as in years past. In all likelihood, squad cars and officers will circle Campustown and campus and patrol Lincoln Way and other high-traffic parts of town in an effort to keep motorists and pedestrians safe from themselves and from the elusive “other guy” whose identity is only found out when he crashes into us.  

In a similar effort to lower the raucous level to which some parties can rise, Campustown Property Management has instituted a special Veishea policy that will limit the number of guests residents may have in their buildings and require residents and guests to wear wristbands. Additionally, security guards will be posted at entrances and exits of most Campustown Property Management buildings.  

Those efforts at being proactive, however, can only go so far. Campustown Property Management can only monitor so much property, and the police can only be so many places. By and large, it is up to individual people — students, their guests, Ames residents who happen to be around.

Last year, a young man tragically fell to his death at a party during Veishea.  That single, solitary death during Veishea is one too many.  

That incident was an accident. Other potential scenarios, however, such as a drunk driver passing over the center line of a street or not seeing a pedestrian, are preventable. Most people probably would say that if they must receive a phone call at two or three in the morning, they prefer that the call be made by an intoxicated person asking for a ride home rather than a police officer with tragic news.  

In fact, disregarding social norms of safety and decency for the sake of an attempt to drive home while still under the influence ranks as one of the more selfish things a person can do. Yes, people do it, and yes, they live — often. But what’s more important is that, by getting behind the wheel of a one- or two-ton piece of steel that will move exactly where you tell it to requires an ability to pilot that hunk of metal safely. By driving when we are not actually fit to drive, we put not only ourselves but other, innocent people at risk. If even one person gets hurt or dies in such a way this weekend, it will be one too many.