By Martha A. Simpson, D.O., M.B.A.
Associate Professor of Family Medicine
Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine

FRIENDS DON’T LET FRIENDS DRIVE UNDER THE INFLUENCE

Question: Can you give me some advice on making this New Year’s celebration a safe and enjoyable one?

Answer: It's almost time to ring in the new year -- an occasion that many people will celebrate by raising a few toasts. While sensible, restrained drinking is acceptable in our society, drinking to the point of getting drunk is not. And, when a person is drunk, there's absolutely no excuse for trying to drive a car.

Statistics from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration show that alcohol-related deaths among younger drivers have decreased significantly since 1993. That’s good news. Here are a few party tips that will help you do your part to make this laudable trend continue:

• Suggest your guests come in groups and that each group select a “designated driver.”
• Make non-alcoholic beverages available, preferably served in the same type of glasses as the alcohol, for the designated driver and for anyone else who chooses not to consume 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.

On the last point, let me make it clear that coffee does not counteract the alcohol as some people believe. However, it does offset drowsiness, and a lengthy period of socializing over coffee provides guests time to sober up before heading home.

Question: How can you tell if you are too drunk to drive?

Answer: 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.

Even if a person passes the conservative rule of thumb I just mentioned, they should not be allowed to drive if they appear obviously drunk. 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.

To summarize: any person who has more than one drink for every two hours of the party, or who shows signs of drunkenness, should not be allowed to drive. Instead, insist that they stay overnight, go home with somebody else, or take a taxi.

By following these steps and remembering that old adage “friends don’t let friends drive drunk,” you can help to assure that 2006 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.