|
 In 2009, nationwide 10,839 individuals were lost in dunk or
drugged driving incidents. Many of these were losses of innocent
lives: victims who were not drunk or drugged but had the misfortune
of being on the same highway as a driver who was.
In that same time period in Illinois, 319 lives were lost due to
drunk or drugged driving.
In December 2009, records released to LDN for publication from
the Logan County sheriff, the Lincoln Police Department and police
departments from surrounding communities showed that 20 percent of
the arrests made that month related to drinking or drugs.
While this is a problem that persists throughout the calendar
year, special attention is being brought to it during this holiday
season, when parties and celebrations are abundant in the community
and alcohol is likely to be served.
The State University of New York Sociology Department, Potsdam,
N.Y., has put together a website that serves to educate the reader
on alcohol in general and offers some very good information on
drinking responsibly.
While many would prefer to see total abstinence from alcohol,
common sense says that is not something that is going to happen
soon, so the next best thing is to act responsibly.
The website offers the following sound advice:
(Copy)
PROTECT OTHERS
-
Volunteer to be a designated driver.
-
Never condone or approve of excessive alcohol consumption.
Intoxicated behavior is potentially dangerous and never amusing.
-
Don't ever let your friends drive drunk. Take their keys, have
them stay the night, have them ride home with someone else, call a
cab, or do whatever else is necessary - but don't let them drive!
Be a good host:
-
Create a setting conducive to easy, comfortable socializing:
soft, gentle music; low levels of noise; comfortable seating. This
encourages conversation and social interaction rather than heavy
drinking.
-
Serve food before beginning to serve drinks. This de-emphasizes
the importance of alcohol and also sends the message that
intoxication is not desirable.
-
Have a responsible bartender. If you plan to ask a friend or
relative to act as bartender, make sure that person is not a drink
pusher who encourages excessive consumption.
-
Don't have an "open bar." A responsible person needs to supervise
consumption to ensure that no one drinks too much. You have both a
moral and a legal responsibility to make sure that none of your
guests drink too much.
-
Pace the drinks. Serve drinks at regular reasonable intervals. A
drink-an-hour schedule is a good guide.
-
Push snacks. Make sure that people are eating.
-
Be sure to offer a diversity of attractive non-alcohol drinks.
(For numerous non-alcohol drink recipes, see
www.drinksmixer.com/cat/8/).
-
Respect anyone's choice not to drink. Remember that about
one-third of American adults choose not to drink and that a guest's
reason for not drinking is the business of the guest only, not of
the host. Never put anyone on the defense for not drinking.
-
End your gathering properly. Decide when you want the party to
end and stop serving drinks well before that time. Then begin
serving coffee along with substantial snacks. This provides
essential non-drinking time before your guests leave.
-
Protect others and yourself by never driving if you think, or
anyone else thinks, that you might have had too much to drink. It's
always best to use a designated driver.
(Source:
http://www2.potsdam.edu/
hansondj/DrinkingAndDriving.html)
[to top of second column] |
One of the greatest ways to save lives and show your friends you
care is to choose to be the designated driver. Designated drivers do
not consume alcohol -- not even one drink.
The same website also published the following good thoughts for
those who choose to be designated drivers.
(Copy)
A designated driver helps friends and family
Advantages to the
designated driver concept:
-
The non-drinker has a legitimate and respected role at a social
function where alcohol is served. There is no stigma to
abstaining because the designated driver is considered an
important member of the group. Being a designated driver can
also help legitimize a personal choice not to drink.
-
The designated driver approach prevents driving under any level
of impairment because that person consumes no alcohol. It
doesn't require a driver or passenger to determine if a person
is too impaired to drive.
-
The server or host can offer a positive alternative to drunk
driving by encouraging a group to designate a driver.
-
The designated driver concept is easy to understand, simple to
implement, costs nothing, and is effective.
Tips for designated
drivers:
-
Plan ahead whenever you are going to socialize with alcohol
beverages.
-
Decide ahead of time who will not drink any alcohol before or
during the party or event.
-
Consider taking turns being the designated driver. (Look after
your friends and family and they can look after you.)
-
Larger groups should have more than one designated driver.
(Source:
http://www2.potsdam.edu/
hansondj/PreventingDrunkDriving.html)
This holiday season, LDN joins the city council and Mayor Keith
Snyder is asking all those who celebrate to do so responsibly and to
remember that the life you save might just be your own.
___
Alcohol Problems and Solutions:
http://www2.potsdam.edu/
hansondj/DrinkingAndDriving.html
Published by the Sociology Department, State University of New York,
Potsdam, NY
[By NILA SMITH]
|
