Lincoln County Sheriff tip of the week: New Year’s Eve safety

NEW YEARS EVE SAFETY

Among all the fun and noise of a New Year’s Eve celebration, it’s important to ensure that the festivities are safe and that there are people in attendance who are designated to stay sober and ensure safety.  Laws do not ensure that nothing bad ever happens; it’s people making the right the choices.  If you are hosting a party, there are safety measures that you can implement to help keep people safe and reduce liability on the big night.  Here are some ideas:

• Use common sense to include not driving after drinking.
• Designate a non-drinking driver before the party.
• Utilize public transportation where available.
• Spend the night at the party location.
• If you are hosting the party, ensure that nonalcoholic drinks are also served.
• Have the courage to refuse a friend a drink if he/she is finding it difficult to keep their behavior in check.
• Consider the safety and welfare of your pets.Loud music and people, fireworks, and strangers can result in unnecessary distress for your pets.
• Ensure that your pet(s) has ID tags with current information on them and that they are safely secured before the party.
• Candles, kids, and pets don’t mix.  Keep them away from each other.

The responsibility and much of the liability of a safe party remains with the host.  The host should know a few things about the liquor that is being served.  For instance, beer and wine are just as intoxicating as distilled spirits.  A 12-ounce can of beer, a five-ounce glass of wine, a 12-ounce wine cooler, and an ounce and a half of liquor contain nearly the same amount of alcohol.  Mixers won’t help dilute alcohol; they just make alcohol tastier.

In fact, scientific research reveals that alcoholic drinks using artificial sweeteners lead to a higher rate of alcohol absorption resulting in a greater blood alcohol concentration than from drinks made with sugar-based mixers.

Carbonated mixers like club soda or tonic water cause alcohol to be absorbed into a person’s system more quickly.  Fruit juice and other sweet mixers mask the taste of alcohol and may cause people to drink more.

And lastly, there is a tendency to rely on someone’s physical appearance to determine his/her state of intoxication.  If someone you know is acting out of character, they may well be intoxicated.

For more information and tips, visit our web site at www.lincolncountysheriff.net and Like us on Facebook at Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office – Oregon.