Drink safely during spring break

At last, spring break is almost here. While some students just see the time as a break from classes and a chance to relax, others may see it as a time to party and have fun.

However, when having fun, it’s important to remember to stay safe and be careful. Drinking and driving can cause accidents and hurt or even kill people. Besides that, drinking can make people do stupid things.

In Panama City, the nation’s most popular spring break destination, headlines were made in 2001 when a 19-year-old Ohio University student died after falling from a balcony.

A CNN reporter spent a day in a Panama City hospital last spring break and witnessed numerous alcohol-related car accidents.

In November, 20-year-old twins died in a car crash in Tallahassee. Their blood alcohol levels were both over the intoxication limit. Since then, three bartenders have been charged with allowing them to drink. They reportedly consumed alcoholic beverages after showing fake IDs at Applebee’s and TGIFridays, said an article in the Tallahassee Democrat.

Whether a student is of legal age to drink, when intoxicated, a person should not put his or her life, or other people’s lives, in jeopardy.

It seems people lose their sense of judgment around spring break, and getting careless with alcohol can injure those drinking and others who aren’t.

USF provides a free service to students that can prevent people from driving while intoxicated. Alert Cab will dispatch a driver to pick up any student who can’t drive home because of their alcohol consumption and take them directly home.

If students are sensible when partying and drinking, or if they take advantage of the Alert Cab service, they can prevent their fun from turning into a hospital visit. To request a designated driver call 974-SAFE.