We all know that the festive season is traditionally a time to eat, drink and be merry, whilst catching up with friends and family to celebrate, before the year comes to end. However too much drinking can have its own repercussions, as statistically this period sees a spike in the numbers of injuries and deaths from alcohol-related incidents. Here at Conefreys, we want to ensure that you have Christmas that is safe as well as fun, and so we strongly encourage our customers to drink responsibly over the season. Here are a few tips for you on staying safe during the festive season:

• Know Your Limit – For most individuals having one or two drinks is not a problem. However after two drinks, judgement starts to diminish and you are less likely to make sound decisions. After seven drinks one might experience a severe loss of judgement, while also affecting memory and understanding. This is where the danger lies as certain people continue to drink after they’ve reached this state. Know your limit and stick to it, don’t feel pressured from others to keep drinking.
• Keep your drink in sight at all times and do not drink it if you have left it unattended.
• Avoid Travelling Alone – It is safest to travel in numbers to avoid any accidents or unwanted encounters. Plan in advance with a group of friends how you will get home and try not to get separated throughout the night from those friends. If you do need to leave on your own, make sure you tell someone when you leave and make sure your phone is charged and operating as usual.
• Do Not Drink and Drive – The Christmas season tends to bring an increase in road traffic accidents as people under the influence loose judgement and feel they are fine to be driving. Where one person may be able to have a drink and still be under the blood alcohol limit, others may not be safe to drive as their reactions could be negatively affected. This combined with poor weather conditions could put you and everyone else on the road at risk. If you are going out to meet friends and think you think you might want a drink, leave the car at home so any temptation to drive later is eliminated.
• Avoid Open Water – Nearly a quarter of adult drowning fatalities are alcohol related and so it is best to stay away from any bodies of water if you have any alcohol in your system.