The December holidays can be deadly, especially when there’s alcohol involved.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Association released a report stating that drivers age 21 to 24 are the group most involved in alcohol-related fatalities.
“In 2007, more than one-third (35 percent) of 21 to 24-year-olds involved in fatal crashes were alcohol impaired (blood alcohol concentration of .08 grams per deciliter),” according to statistics on NHTSA’s Web site.
This age group is only about 11 percent of all drivers in fatal crashes, but they held 18 percent of alcohol-related crashes.
In Kansas, there were 74 total fatalities in the 21 to 24-year-old age group in 2007. Twenty-one of those were impaired in that age group. This represented 28 percent.
The information is timely, said Gary Smith, police chief of the Emporia Police Department. Smith said some changes are being seen in demographics. It used to be mainly males that are involved in alcohol-related crashes, Smith said.
“Females tend to be climbing up, too,” he said.
The legal limit of alcohol is .08, Smith said. Smith said many of the individuals who don’t fall into the impaired category fit into the non-impaired category of the 21 to 24-year-olds, which was 72 percent of all fatalities in that age group.
“There’s a lot that are in the non-impaired category that are still alcohol (related),” he said.
Even though .08 is the legal limit, it doesn’t take that much to be impaired, Smith said.
“In my experience .04 can impair a person, depending on body chemistry,” he said. “People need to understand that it effects people differently.”
Alcohol affects men differently than women, and body weight and age also comes into play. People 55 and older will be affected more than a younger person. Even though alcohol affects people differently, the alcohol metabolizes the same length of time and it doesn’t matter whether somebody drinks coffee, Smith added.
“If you jump in the shower and drink coffee, all you have is a wide-awake drunk,” he said.
Smith offered several tips for people celebrating New Year’s Eve. If possible, people should get to a place and stay there, Smith said, noting that some hotels may offer a celebration and stay package.
If a designated driver is used it should be someone who truly will stay sober and is someone who can be trusted.
Smith also offered some tips for party hosts:
F If you’re going to host a party, offer non-alcoholic beverages.
F Have somebody dispense drinks instead of people serving themselves.
F Arrange for people to stay if they are too intoxicated to drive or arrange them a cab ride home.
F Shut the alcohol off at least an hour or an hour and a half before the party ends.
The Emporia Police Department will be stepping up patrol from now until after New Years, Smith said. Extra enforcement officers will be out in the evening hours particularly, Smith added.
“This is as well as the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office and the Kansas Highway Patrol,” Smith said.
seriouslyfolks (anonymous) says...
Doesn't "impaired" kinda imply a lack of common sense?
January 1, 2009 at 10:32 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
josiesbar (anonymous) says...
“If you jump in the shower and drink coffee, all you have is a wide-awake drunk,”
This isn't true. I've heard this so many times, and its incorrect for two reasons.
1. Alcohol dissolves in water. Drinking water will actually sober you up. Coffee is made of water, so coffee will dissolve alcohol, and coffee will sober you up, somewhat.
2. Coffee is a diuretic. Diuretics make you have to urinate (MUCH, in my case, haha) more frequently, which means that every time you urinate, your body is getting rid of not only the coffee, but alcohol as well, and this will sober you up faster as well, because your body is processing alcohol through your body faster.
A cold shower, however, will not sober you up.
The best way to get rid of alcohol in your body is either drink a LOT of water (I've heard anywhere from 8 ounces of water will dissolve one ounce of alcohol, to 32 ounces to one ounce of alcohol). The other best way is sleep. If you have a hangover, a Gatorade that is diluted down will really help curb your hangover, as it will help in replacing electrolytes that are lost due to the diuretic effect of alcohol.
If you have been drinking at all during the night, PLEASE don't drive!
Matt
January 1, 2009 at 12:36 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
seriouslyfolks (anonymous) says...
If you do decide to jump in the shower please wait till you're sober because showers can be very slick. If you can't wait till you're sober to take a shower don't jump just stand there. Studies have shown that the jumping motion does little if anything to help the dirt get off more quickly.
January 1, 2009 at 12:57 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
justthefacts (anonymous) says...
absolutely false. Alcohol is absorbed through the system and filtered through the body it is a medically proven fact that one cannot speed up the removal of alcohol from the body because the body can only process so much at a time. On top of that if one consumes too much water they will get sick.
January 1, 2009 at 12:59 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
seriouslyfolks (anonymous) says...
I stand by my statement. Showers are slick.
January 1, 2009 at 1:08 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
justthefacts (anonymous) says...
http://www.aadac.com/124_686.asp
January 1, 2009 at 1:11 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
justthefacts (anonymous) says...
http://www.webmd.com/balance/slidesho...
January 1, 2009 at 1:35 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
seriouslyfolks (anonymous) says...
If you don't believe me about showers being slick check out how this dude died.
http://www.findadeath.com/Deceased/b/...
He was over 100 years of age and it wasn't his smoking habit that killed him it was a slick tub.
January 1, 2009 at 1:37 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
justthefacts (anonymous) says...
http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/al...
January 1, 2009 at 1:41 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
seriouslyfolks (anonymous) says...
According to the test I am at low risk of having alcohol problems. This test is inaccurate since I am at zero risk of having alcohol problems. I don't drink.
What is your point justthefacts?
January 1, 2009 at 4:07 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
justthefacts (anonymous) says...
Simply providing references to back up my concerns about misinformation. Certain behavior patterns can place a person at risk whether they drink or not.
January 1, 2009 at 5:18 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
oh4theluvof (anonymous) says...
justthefacts
Due to a horrendous headache from my very own special virally(cold) induced "hangover" I think I'm missing what you are alluding to. How can a person who doesn't drink be at risk for alcoholism? What are the behavior patterns that put a person at risk? Yes, I read those links, but I didn't see there to what you are now referring. How does behavior put a person at risk? Maybe my headache is getting in the way of logic, but my own experience is that alcohol is what puts you at risk, but genetics and environment can make alcohol more attractive to a person. I'm hoping you have mercy on my state of being and help me understand what you are saying.
January 1, 2009 at 8 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
justthefacts (anonymous) says...
oh4theluvof
I'm not a therepist, simply backing up my observations about "myths" of sobering up and risk factors with references. I'd suggest you leave a message for the manager of that link if you have specific issues or questions. Risk factors take into consideration a number of genetic, family history, social, personal, medical, and psychological factors in determining risk for any number of issues. If they were perfect, we could eliminate all risk. They are a tool in a toolbox to hopefully educate and help those who may fall in the risk category to make good choices when it comes to using any type of drug, legal or otherwise. Bottom line, one should discuss the matter with a physician if there are real concerns. Hope that helps. BTW I too, got lost a bit with the slipping in the shower thing and I was stone cold sober.
January 2, 2009 at 11:22 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
neighbor (anonymous) says...
Matt,
"Alcohol dissolves in water."
Are you sure about that? Alcohol removes water. You need to drink water to replace it. Heet and other gasoline treatments used in the winter are alcohol products that remove water/condensate from fuel tanks.
January 4, 2009 at 10:24 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
oh4theluvof (anonymous) says...
justthefacts:
The post from seriously didn't really lose me because I know from many other forums and his/her own confession on one that he/she likes to be the clown to get attention and self-entertain. Seriouslyfolks said he/she doesn't drink. Your response to him/her seem like you're alluding to him/her being at risk. It was your post that confused me and still does despite my sinuses being clear and the massive headache from them gone. Maybe you didn't mean to sound as if you think he/she has this "at risk behavior" by responding, "Certain behavior patterns can place a person at risk whether they drink or not," but it did sound that way.
However, you answered my question with, "Risk factors take into consideration a number of genetic, family history, social, personal, medical, and psychological factors in determining risk for any number of issues." which doesn't include any behavior, so your first statement still has me a bit baffled. You also seemed to think I was asking for help or advice for my own risk factors when I was just trying to figure out how a behavior can put a non-drinker at risk. I do not drink at all. Anyway, I don't know that it really matters or if I've just confused you back.
And for what it's worth on the alcohol/water issue, if you spray rubbing alcohol on a wet counter, the two separate and repel each other and the alcohol speeds the evaporation process--don't know if produce alcohols and water react the same inside the human body tissues, but it is a fun experiment anyhow.
January 4, 2009 at 10:39 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
justthefacts (anonymous) says...
It's the best I can do. I made several suggestions. The references were for you to get additional information. You are either reading too much into this or trying to bait the conversation. Either way. I'm finished with this thread.
January 4, 2009 at 11:43 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )