CONTACT: Stephanie Marquis, 608-266-1683

NEW YEAR'S EVE: DON'T DROP THE BALL ON DRUNK DRIVING

MADISON - State and local leaders are focused more than ever before on drunk driving. Each year, Wisconsin loses more of our best and brightest to drunk drivers. Although this New Year's Eve is a time for reflecting on the year past, toasting good friends and making resolutions for 2009, it is also a time for making better decisions. As you gather with family and friends and sing a round of Auld Lang Syne, keep in mind that a resolution to celebrate alcohol-free can give you more minutes with Father Time. Take the quiz below to see if you can correctly guess the impact alcohol can have.

1) Approximately _____ percent of all fatal traffic crashes in Wisconsin are alcohol-related, and 47 percent of all fatal motorcycle crashes in Wisconsin are alcohol-related.

a. 15
b. 23
c. 46

2) _____ drivers - about equal to the population of Fond du Lac - were convicted of drunken driving offenses in Wisconsin in 2007.

a. 26,000
b. 37,000
c. 42,000

3) More than ___ percent of Wisconsin adults who were surveyed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services admitted they had driven under the influence of alcohol in 2007.

a. 8
b. 15
c. 26

4) If you drive drunk with a child under the age of 16 in the vehicle, the penalties _____

a. are the same
b. will double
c. will triple

5) _____ 18 to 24 year olds admitted to emergency rooms is intoxicated.

a. One in three
b. Two out of ten
c. Five out of ten

6) True or False: A cold shower or coffee can help me sober up faster.

7) Alcohol poisoning can be lethal, so it's important to know the signs in case you need to call 911 for a friend. Which of the following are the signs of alcohol poisoning:

a. Mental confusion, stupor, coma or person cannot be roused
b. Vomiting
c. Seizures
d. Slow or irregular breathing: 8-10 seconds between breaths
e. Bluish skin color or paleness
f. All of the above

ANSWERS: (1) c, (2) c, (3) c, (4) b, (5) a, (6) False - nothing can speed up the process, (7) f - if your friend shows some of these symptoms - not all are necessary - call for help NOW.

This quiz was brought to you by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services based upon information from the Wisconsin Department of Transportation and the College Drinking - Changing the Future website at www.collegedrinkingprevention.gov. The mission of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services is to protect and promote the health and safety of the people of Wisconsin.

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Last Revised:  July 12, 2010