×

Holiday drinking: Keep roadways safe

SALEM — The holiday season is one of the busiest on our nation’s roadways. It’s also one of the most dangerous due to the high incidence of drug and alcohol-related traffic fatalities. 

“The holidays usually mean more parties and travel as many people celebrate with their friends and families,” explained Joseph C. Rettig, M.D., Medical Director of Salem Regional Medical Center’s Emergency Department. “The period between Thanksgiving and the end of the New Year’s weekend is also known as ‘DUI Season,’ since arrests for driving under the influence are very high.” 

In December, an average of 27 people a day die in drunk-driving crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. 

How Alcohol Affects the Body

“When someone first consumes alcohol, it acts as a stimulant and may temporarily make the person feel upbeat and excited,” Dr. Rettig added. “Alcohol reduces the function of the brain, impairing thinking, reasoning and muscle coordination. All these abilities are essential to operating a vehicle safely.”

As more alcohol is consumed, a person’s motor skills and reaction time begin to suffer. His or her behavior becomes poorly controlled, which can hinder driving ability even further.

“Continued drinking can lead to the slurred speech and loss of coordination and balance that most people associate with being drunk. However, the skills and coordination needed for driving are compromised long before the obvious signs of intoxication are visible,” Dr. Rettig said.

Many people mistakenly believe that they can drive safely once they stop drinking and have a strong cup of coffee. The truth is that alcohol continues to affect the body long after the last drink has been consumed.

“Even after someone stops drinking, alcohol in the stomach and intestine continues to enter the bloodstream and circulate through the body. As a result, judgment and coordination can be impaired for hours following a person’s last drink. Driving home late at night is especially dangerous because a person’s natural drowsiness is increased by the sedative effects of alcohol, which places them at a much greater risk of nodding off or losing attention behind the wheel,” Dr. Rettig noted.

Alcohol can also cause blackouts, which are gaps in a person’s memory while he or she is intoxicated. These gaps happen when a person drinks enough alcohol to temporarily block the transfer of memories from short-term to long-term storage-known as memory consolidation. At higher blood alcohol concentration levels, alcohol acts as a clear depressant, which can cause people who drink to pass out if the dose is high enough. At even higher levels, people who drink face the danger of life-threatening alcohol overdose due to the suppression of vital life functions.

Facts to remember:

— Alcohol’s effects are similar even when it comes in different forms- a 12 oz. can of beer has roughly the same amount of alcohol as a 6 oz. glass of wine or a 1.5 oz. shot of whiskey.

— Alcohol takes time to metabolize out of the body and drinking coffee won’t speed it up.

— Drinking on an empty stomach will allow alcohol to enter the bloodstream much faster.

Plan Ahead
“Before you celebrate, designate a sober driver,” Dr. Rettig concluded. “If you do drink, don’t drive, no matter how little alcohol you think you have had. A blood alcohol content of .08 or higher is illegal in all 50 states. Remember that even if you aren’t at fault in a collision, if the officer suspects that you have been drinking, you will be presumed to have contributed to the collision or to have been at fault.”

And just because you may be hosting a party, you’re not exempt to being a factor in an alcohol-related crash. Make sure to protect yourself.

 “If you are hosting a party where alcohol will be served, you need to be aware that you can be sued if someone leaves the party and is involved in an alcohol-related collision.  To help protect yourself, ensure that all your guests have a designated driver or alternate form of transportation to get them home. If you think someone is about to drive while impaired, take their car keys and make arrangements to get them home safely. Lastly, protect yourself and your passengers by wearing a safety belt at all times when driving.”

 Joseph C. Rettig, M.D., is the Director of Emergency Medicine at Salem Regional Medical Center’s Emergency Department.

 

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *
   

Starting at $4.39/week.

Subscribe Today