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December is National 3-D Prevention Month
By Joanne Fedele, RN
North Country Health System Community Health Planner
December is 3-D Prevention Month -- a time to focus on the prevention of drunk and drugged driving.
The holiday season is upon us. And while that means a time for parties and celebrations, it may unfortunately also mean a greater chance of encountering someone who is driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Chances are you know someone who has been involved in an alcohol-related motor vehicle crash that resulted in personal injury and property damage. In fact, recent studies show that three in ten people will become involved in an alcohol-related crash in their lifetimes.
Last year, almost 16,000 people nationwide were killed as a result of impaired driving. An additional 300,000 were injured. That translates into someone dying almost every half-hour and someone being injured every two minutes from the carelessness and thoughtlessness of someone driving while they were impaired with alcohol or drugs.
What constitutes impairment?
Impairment begins with one alcohol drink – whether it is “hard” liquor or wine or beer. Once alcohol is consumed, it is absorbed by an individual’s blood system, and can be measured as Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC). Studies show that even one drink decreases the ability to react quickly, a factor that can prove fatal when an impaired individual gets behind the wheel of an automobile.
Driving while impaired with either alcohol or drugs inflicts much destruction upon the entire community, and especially upon the family that experiences the injury, or worse yet, the loss of a loved one.
What can you do about impaired driving?
The National Commission Against Drunk Driving offers the following suggestions to help reduce the danger of impaired driving:
- At all times, wear your safety belt and be sure children are properly secured in child safety seats.
- Be a responsible host. When you host a party, or if you are involved in planning a party, serve food and have non-alcoholic drinks available.
- Don’t let your guests drive after drinking any amount of alcohol. Arrange for sober drivers to transport your guests’ home. Remember that the safest driver is not the one who has had the least alcohol to drink. The safest driver is a sober driver.
- Never serve alcohol to someone under the age of 21.
- Never ride in a car with a driver who has been drinking alcohol. Call someone who is sober to drive you home.
- Keep a safe distance from anyone driving erratically and do not try to intervene yourself. Call law enforcement officials to intervene with anyone who appears to be driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Locally, the Health & Traffic Safety Coalition for Orleans & Northern Essex Counties supports and implements projects to increase motor vehicle safety and lower the risk of motor vehicle crashes. The Coalition, facilitated by North Country Health System, is a group of over 40 representatives from community agencies, businesses and local schools – including students --, that work together toward these goals. Members of the Coalition focus especially on lowering the rate of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs.
Remember that friends don’t let friends drive drunk. Stay safe this holiday season, and always. Keep your friends and family safe too by never driving under the influence. For more information about traffic safety or the Health & Traffic Safety Coalition ONE call North Country Health System’s Community Health Office at 334-3208 or the Wellness Center at 334-5566.
“HEALTHY YOU” is a weekly column prepared by health care providers and staff at North Country Hospital and Health System. Please call Nancy Goss, NCH Community Relations, 334-3225, for information or to suggest a topic for this column.
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