BY KAHLA STATEMA | the Statesman
It's officially spring break at UMD. Whether or not you’re staying in Duluth or you're traveling to warmer weather, there are plenty of safety measures that should be taken into consideration.
Spring break’s greatest danger: alcohol.
In 2014, 1,825 students between the ages of 18 and 24 died from alcohol related accidents.
There were 696,000 students who reported being assaulted by another student that had been binge drinking and 97,000 students reported being sexually assaulted.
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism defines binge drinking as a female drinking four or more drinks and a male drinking five or more drinks in the matter of two hours. According to a study done by the American College of health, male students reported consuming up to 18 drinks a day and female students reported consuming up to 10 drinks a day. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans defines moderate drinking as a female having no more than one drink and a male having no more than two drinks a day.
- Practice safe drinking and make sure to know the signs of alcohol poisoning.
- Use the buddy system if you're traveling in new places.
- If you're driving somewhere and you're not alone, make sure someone takes turns driving.
- Stay hydrated, especially when combining heat and alcohol.
- Don't drink and drive. Always have a designated driver.
- Most importantly, enjoy your hard earned break from the semester and have fun!