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The days are getting cooler and soon there will be frost dusting the pumpkins awaiting harvest in the fields. Now is the time for all sorts of autumn celebrations, including Halloween parties, high school homecomings and the University of North Carolina’s (UNC) Fall Fest. While UNC differs from many universities by celebrating its homecoming in February, that doesn’t dampen its Fall Fest celebrations. The last Saturday in October is always a time of harvest revelry — and that often includes drinking alcohol. Underage drinking often occurs Even though the legal drinking age remains 21 in North Carolina and the other 49 states, it would be disingenuous to pretend that no underage drinking takes place among the student body. It does — and that’s a major problem. The problem is exacerbated when these underage drinkers and others who imbibe alcoholic beverages then climb behind the wheel and drive. Binge-drinking creates further woes Researchers have identified patterns of drinking for college and university students. The results of one such study published by the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s National Institutes of Health indicates that university students display unique patterns of drinking. These patterns revolve around certain events and peak times during which college students are more likely to engage in binge drinking. To combat this problem, university and public health officials can employ event-specific prevention (ESP) tactics to student drinking. Which events trigger binge-drinking? Students tend to drink more heavily during culturally significant events like Fall Fest, as there is a major uptick in student alcohol consumption around special events and holidays. Even students who typically do not drink alcoholic beverages report an increase in consumption around these type of events. But there are also personally significant events that can trigger students and cause them to overindulge. Since many college students turn 21 during their time at university, 21st birthday celebrations — both their own and their friends’ — are cited as times of increased drinking. Students don’t have to necessarily be celebrating to pop a few too many tops or be too heavy on the pour. A bombed test, a painful breakup or other negative event can cause students to attempt to drown their sorrows in liquor. Drunk drivers can ruin lives In addition to their own lives damaged by the repercussions of drunk-driving arrests and accidents, those who drink and drive contribute to the carnage on our roads. If you wind up injured by a drunken driver, you may need to seek justice in the North Carolina civil court system.

Have you ever been driving across Wilmington and seen another driver behaving oddly? Maybe he is driving at night without his lights on or perhaps he is drifting a little too close to the edge of the lane. If you are like many other drivers in the area, you have probably seen such a driver and taken evasive action to avoid a potential collision. In some cases, the driver might simply be distracted, which can be extremely dangerous. However, you can also see the same behaviors in a driver who is drunk. For instance, weaving, erratic braking and rapid acceleration are all things that drunk drivers and distracted drivers have in common. If a driver is drunk, you might also see things like driving on the wrong side of the road, near misses or even collisions with objects, tailgating and driving at a very low speed. If you identify a drunk driver on the road, there are a few things you can do to limit your chances of becoming a victim of a drunk driving accident. Follow these steps if you spot a drunk driver. Make safety the priority If you see another vehicle that you think is being operated by a drunk driver, then you need to put your safety first. The best thing you can do is to keep your distance. After you have memorized the make and model of the car as well as its license plate, slow down and let the vehicle get far enough in front of you to no longer be a risk. Choose an alternate route If possible, take yourself out of the equation by exiting the highway, turning off the road or simply by pulling over in a safe area. If you are no longer on the road with a drunk driver, your risk of becoming involved in an accident decreases substantially. Call 911 As soon as you are in a safe place, call 911 to report the drunk driver. You will need to provide the make and model of the vehicle and the license plate number that you memorized when you first identified the danger. Also, be prepared to give a description of the driver’s behavior, the location where you last saw the drunk driver and the direction he or she was traveling. Unfortunately, a drunk driver might take you by surprise and you could end up in a car wreck. If this happens, you may be able to file a claim for your injuries and other damages as a result of the actions of the drunk driver.