Almost 10,000 Americans died in drunk driving accidents last year. Although those numbers are down from previous years, even one accident is too many. The most dangerous of nights is New Year ’s Eve. Many abuse drugs and alcohol and get behind the wheel.
The Knoxville Police Department has announced that its officers will be out in force starting at 4 p.m. to try to crack down on those getting tipsy and then attempting to drive home. Last year they issued over 1,000 tickets and arrested over 30 people for driving intoxicated. They also investigated 56 crashes. This year the police will once again be looking for speeders, those following too closely and those driving recklessly.
Each year, Mothers Against Drunk Driving provide a list of tips for host of New Year’s Eve festivities:
• Plan activities to engage people and take away the emphasis on consumption of alcohol.
• Ask if your guests have a sober ride.
• Provide plenty of food to prevent but avoid salty snacks, which to make people thirsty.
• Offer nonalcoholic beverages or “mocktails” for designated drivers and nondrinkers.
• Have taxi service number handy, or make room for quests to stay the night.
From Christmas to New Year’s we are excited to celebrate, but we need to be mindful that this is also a dangerous time of year. We must remain extra vigilant to prevent alcohol or drug abuse from ruining the holiday. Drunk driving is an avoidable situation. You can simply not drink and get the hind the wheel. If you must drink, have a sober diver, or take a cab or other form of public transportation.
Also remember that New Year’s Eve doesn’t have to include alcohol. If you feel that you simply cannot celebrate the holiday without drinking heavily, you may have a drinking problem and should speak with a professional who can assess your use and determine if you are at risk of becoming an alcoholic.
It’s unfortunately common for people to fall into an alcohol addiction to try and cope with their problems, but substance abuse is never the right way to go, and unfortunately sometimes people learn the hard way. But in order to recover, it’s extremely important to first become conscious of your problem, or make your loved one conscious of their problem, and then find that burning motivation to change the addictive ways. It can be very difficult for a drug addict or an alcoholic and their family to accomplish these things on their own, so that’s where Seabrook House can help. Seabrook House is an internationally recognized inpatient drug rehab and alcoholism detox treatment center with rehab facilities located in New Jersey (NJ), Pennsylvania (PA), and an outpatient office in New York (NY). At Seabrook House, we are committed to providing quality addiction treatment for the physical, emotional and spiritual illness of chemical dependency. Our structured, nurturing programs, along with the principles grounded in the Twelve Step philosophy of recovery, combine to foster the kind of change necessary for a clean and sober life.
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