Stay Safe This Summer: Alcohol and Water Sports
Don't Mix
By
Susan L. Jenkins, BRiDGES
Summer
is here, the temperatures
are warm and muggy, and people are heading to pools, beaches and lakes
for
summer fun. Many people reach for a cold beverage during the hot summer
weather,
and it is good for your health to drink plenty of fluids. Remember,
though,
that whether you are boating, swimming, water skiing or diving, fun in
the
water and alcohol don’t mix. That includes beer. Alcohol impairs
judgment,
balance, vision and coordination-not a good combination with water
sports.
With
boating, the addition of
wind, sun, noise, motion and vibration can intensify the effects of the
alcohol. Collisions on the water are not the only hazards with boating.
Other hazards
for the driver and the passengers include falls on board or overboard
and
stumbling at the dock resulting in bruises, cuts and falls.
Drinking
can cause problems with
swimming and diving, too. After drinking, individuals can not
accurately judge what
is safe and can get themselves into hazardous, even life threatening
situations. A long swim can result in hypothermia as alcohol reduces
the body’s
ability to stay warm in the water.
Being
out in the sun all day
causes dehydration even when you have been in and around the water all
day.
Alcohol, even though it is a beverage, is not the answer to that
problem. In
fact, both alcohol and caffeine dehydrate the body. It is better to
pack plenty
of water, juices, and non-caffeinated soda for a long day on the boat
or at the
beach.
According
to the American College of Emergency Physicians,
one half of all
fatalities on the water are alcohol related. Remember to keep yourself,
your
friends and your family safe this summer. Don’t mix alcohol and water
sports.
