News – Sheridan Media
New Year’s Eve is a celebration of hope and new beginnings while reflecting and learning from experiences over the course of the past year. Symbolically, we have collectively made it through the dark, the days will get longer and we can celebrate the optimism of the year ahead.
The celebration is also a time when many will consume alcohol and spend time with friends and loved ones. According to the American Addiction Centers, when it comes to holidays, the period that starts before Christmas and ends on New Year’s Day accounts for some of the highest incidents of binge drinking and related public health problems.
Chief of the Sheridan Police Department, Travis Koltiska, said that driving under the influence is the most preventable and prevalent risk to public safety in the City of Sheridan.
This year, make a plan to get home safely before beginning the night’s events. Often that will mean a designated driver or the use of a taxi.
The City of Sheridan also operates the Safe Rides Program. The City of Sheridan partnered with the Sheridan County Liquor Dealers Association, ASAP and Sheridan Taxi to gather funding and resources to get the program off the ground. In its infancy, the program initially provided around 100 rides a month. The program has expanded significantly and now provides around 400 rides a month at a cost of approximately $45,000 a year, according to the City.
It is also sound advice to know one’s limits. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, alcohol-induced death rates in the 65-and-older population have been increasing since 2011 and rose more than 18% from 2019 to 2020.
Despite the folklore, there is no scientifically proven technique to curing a hangover and reactions to the effects of alcohol are as varied as the people.
With temperatures fluctuating throughout the day, ice has become part of the landscape in Sheridan. Remember to watch your step during the New Year’s celebrations.
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Last modified: December 28, 2022