PREVENT NEW YEAR'S TRAGEDY BY MONITORING ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION

Question: How many drinks does it take to make a person drunk?

Answer: Many of us are planning to either host or go to a New Year’s party. It’s customary at these parties to celebrate the arrival of the new year by raising a few toasts. Each year, however, some of us go over the line from responsible drinking and become drunk. If that happens, don’t compound the error by getting behind the wheel.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that alcohol was involved in 39 percent of fatal crashes and in 7 percent of all crashes in 2004. In that same year, the most recent one for which data is available, there were a total of 16,694 alcohol-related deaths. Put another way, this country experiences one death about every ½ hour at the hands of drunk driver. In a typical year, that figure nearly quadruples in the hours from 6:00 p.m. on New Year’s Eve to 5:59 a.m. the next morning. These are all needless tragedies.

Question: How much alcohol is too much? How can I tell if a person is too impaired to drive?

Answer: First, it's necessary to understand how the body metabolizes alcohol. It takes the average person one to two hours to eliminate the average alcoholic drink, such as a jigger of distilled liquor, a bottle of beer or a glass of wine. Given this fact, a good, conservative rule of thumb is that if you have had more than one drink for each two hours that you have been at a party, don't drive. Also, remember that inebriation is generally brought on quicker if you drink on an empty stomach.

If you are hosting a party at which alcohol is served, you have a responsibility to your guests. Make non-alcoholic beverages available, preferably served in the same type of glasses as the alcohol. Guests should not be persuaded to drink, nor ridiculed if they choose not to. Snacking should be encouraged. Coffee should be served in the last hour or so of the party. Although coffee does not counteract the alcohol as some people believe, it does offset drowsiness, and a lengthy period of socializing over coffee provides guests time to sober up before heading home.

Most importantly, if a person appears even just a little drunk or has been downing a lot of drinks but still seems sober, you should not allow him or her to drive home under any circumstances. Remember that the skills and coordination that are needed to be a safe driver are compromised long before you see any obvious signs of intoxication. Insist that anyone you suspect of having too much alcohol stay overnight, go home with somebody else or take a taxi. This is no longer just a moral responsibility. In many states you can now be held legally liable for damages caused by people who leave your party and then drive while intoxicated.

By following these steps, you can help to assure that your 2007 will get off to a safe start.

On behalf of all of us at the Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine, I'd like to take this opportunity to wish you and your family a very happy, peaceful New Year.

Family Medicine® is a weekly column. To submit questions, write to Martha A. Simpson, D.O., M.B.A., Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine, P.O. Box 110, Athens, Ohio 45701, or via e-mail to readerquestions@familymedicinenews.org. Medical information in this column is provided as an educational service only. It does not replace the judgment of your personal physician, who should be relied on to diagnose and recommend treatment for any medical conditions. Past columns are available online at www.familymedicinenews.org.