Alcohol Use during the Holidays
Every holiday season, the use and abuse of alcohol seems to come to the forefront of our minds. Perhaps this is because of the increasing levels of stress, or the fact that holiday parties encourage more social drinking occasions. More drinking is done in the holiday season – especially social drinking. As a result, there is usually an increased police presence and a crackdown on drinking and driving to prevent unnecessary injuries. Holidays, however, are the most popular time in which accidents occur and perhaps why alcohol use during the holiday season is an issue.
Holiday Parties Encourage Social Drinking
Most holiday parties will feature cocktails or wine and beer. It is a typical tradition where adults get together and celebrate the holiday in spirits. The problem with this is the fact that with all of these adults who convene may not leave room for a designated driver.
As Stress Levels Increase, So Does Drinking
For many, the holiday season is riddled with stress. Worrying over being able to afford buying Christmas gifts, paying their bills and even finding a job to help support the household are all common worries. When the stress levels rise, so does the propensity to drink.
Plan to Get Home Safely
If you, friends or family members opt to drink while attending a holiday party, it is a good idea to either nominate a designated driver before you attend the event or to arrange means of transportation if no designated driver is available. There are many taxi companies that offer this service exclusively and depending on where you live, there may be free services as well. With a little bit of planning ahead, you can avoid becoming a statistic in terms of death, injury or arrest.
Police Increase Checkpoints
If you have driven on any highway or busy town street during the holiday season, you will inevitably find that there is an increased police presence on the roads. Law enforcement agencies always increase the number of patrol cars on the road during the holiday season. This is to ensure that anyone who is found to be drinking and driving is taken off the roads before an accident occurs – whether it involves another car or not. Holidays usually bring with them a rash of car accidents and deaths and having an increased police presence helps to cut down on the number of statistics reported.
