Combining
drinking alcohol with cold weather can have serious consequences, sometimes
fatal. Several important tips help avoid danger in chilly conditions.
The
best idea for people wishing to drink alcohol in cold weather is to stay
indoors at all times. Drinking too much can lead to poor decision-making, such
as spending too much time outside. Staying in groups can help reduce the risk
that someone will end up on their own in frigid temperatures.
“Whatever
decisions you choose to make regarding alcohol, please make sure that you and
your friends are dressed appropriately for the weather,” urges Katie Helbing, a
senior and Residence Assistant at UW-La Crosse.
Layering
clothing is critical for people in pubs or bars and have to walk outside to get
there. Bundle up in long sleeves and consider wearing long underwear under
pants for extra warmth. Coats, hats, mittens/gloves, and scarves should be worn
at all times on cold winter nights to prevent frostbite and hypothermia.
Drunk
people often believe they are warmer than usual, due to blood vessels near the
skin dilating. This can lead to a false sense of security about going outside
during cold temperatures, but people drinking lose heat much quicker in cold
weather, since the blood is closer to the skin.
Taking
care to avoid slips and falls on ice or snow is also important to one’s safety.
Drinking impairs movement and judgment significantly, so maintaining balance is
often more difficult in these conditions.
Last
winter, UW-La Crosse student Neala Frye died from hypothermia after leaving a bar
by herself. The death was ruled accidental.
