Plan ahead if you drink this holiday season

The December holiday season is often an excuse to overindulge.

Just make sure it’s on fruitcake and not eggnog.

With the increase in the number of social events, such as Christmas parties and New Year celebrations, there’s no shortage of alcohol available during December. Even people who rarely consume alcohol are likely to partake, and those who are prone to the blues this time of year may drink more as a coping mechanism.

As a result, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says there is an increase in DUIs and fatal drunk-driving crashes around the holidays. In December 2017, 885 people were killed in traffic crashes involving a drunk driver, up from 781 in 2016.

In Louisiana, there were 20 alcohol-related crashes and 22 fatalities in December 2017.

To call attention to the problem, the NHTSA will conduct its holiday Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over drunk driving prevention campaign from Dec. 13 through Jan. 1.

While many drinkers rely on the “one-drink-per-hour” rule to keep their blood alcohol level under the .08 threshold for DUI arrest, the practice is unreliable at best. Such factors as age, gender, weight, drink strength, metabolism, food consumed and body type influence the rate of intoxication, so no two people react the same to the identical amount of alcohol.

If you plan to drink, the safest way to prevent a DUI arrest or crash is to designate a driver. Think about it: You wouldn’t leave your children at home without planning for a babysitter in advance. Why plan to drink without designating a driver before you take your first sip?

Party hosts and hostesses also have a responsibility for their guests’ safety. Remember, friends don’t let friends drive drunk.

Enjoy the season – responsibly.

Holiday safety tips

Even individuals who don’t normally drink alcohol are likely to imbibe during the holidays. These tips, from the Centers for Disease Control and the U.S. Department of Transportation, will keep you and your party guests safe:

• Plan ahead. You know whether you’ll attend a party. If you plan to drink, plan for a sober driver to take you home. Is it your turn to be the designated driver? Take that role seriously — your friends are relying on you.
• Remember that it is never okay to drink and drive. Even if you’ve only had one alcoholic beverage, designate a sober driver or plan to use public transportation to get home safely.
• Download NHTSA’s SaferRide mobile app, available on Google Play for Android devices: (https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nhtsa.SaferRide&hl=en), and Apple’s iTunes Store for iOS devices: (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/saferride/id950774008?mt=8). SaferRide allows users to call a taxi or a predetermined friend, and identifies the user’s location so he or she can be picked up.
• If you see a drunk driver on the road, contact law enforcement.
• Be a helpful host: If you're hosting a party this holiday season, remind your guests to plan ahead and designate their sober driver; offer alcohol-free beverages; and make sure all of your guests leave with a sober driver.
• Have a friend who is about to drink and drive? Take the keys away and make arrangements to get them home safely. Don’t worry about offending someone—they’ll thank you later.

For more information on ThinkFirst of the Ark-La-Tex, log on to www.thinkfirstlouisiana.org, call 318-226-0066 or check out www.facebook.com/arklatexthinkfirst.