With New Year’s Eve on a Friday this year, here are few things to keep in mind before you sip that first adult beverage.
On any given weekend there are 10,000 drunk drivers on Oakland County roads, according to Oakland County Sheriff’s Det. Ken Alderman.
In 2003, there were more than 440 alcohol related fatalities on Michigan roads.
Add to all that, the fact that ‘As far as drinking and driving goes, New Year’s Eve is one of the worst times to be on the roads,? Alderman said.
New Year’s Eve ranks among the top three most dangerous times to travel, Alderman said. Top of the list is St. Patrick’s Day followed by the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.
Thanks to federal funding programs cracking down on drunk drivers more than 500 law enforcement agencies will help keep the roads safer by beefing up patrols on New Year’s Eve.
Party-goers should remember that in September 2003 Michigan lawmakers lowered the legal drinking limit for operating a motor vehicle from 0.10 to 0.08 Blood Alcohol Content.
As a rule, a woman who weigh 120-pounds and drinks two 12-ounce beers in one hour she will meet the legal .08 BAC. A man who weighs up to 180-pounds must average four 12-ounce beers in one hour to meet the 0.08 maximum, according to the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI).
While many variables, such as health and weight, can influence a person’s blood alcohol level, the NCADI suggests it is smarter to not drink, rather than calculate weigh proportions verses alcohol consumption and driving.
If alcohol is part of your New Year’s Eve plans, here are some recommendations to keep you and others safe.
‘Drink in moderation and eat plenty of food,? said Alderman.
Party hosts should prepare for overnight guests, take car keys, arrange for a taxi, or appoint designated non-drinking driver to get people home safely.
Another alternative is to call Project LifeRide, a service coordinated by Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
For the past 20 years MADD volunteers and cabbies have been serving Project LifeRide, offering free rides for anyone from the Oakland, Wayne, Macomb county areas, who are not capable of driving safely.
For a lifesaving ride home on New Year’s Eve call (877) 693-6233 from 11 p.m. Friday to 4 a.m. Saturday.