THE DANGERS OF SPRING BREAK

The Dangers of Spring Break (Letter to the Editor)

by Selena McCone

MHCC Public Safety Work Study Student

I get it! Spring Break is a great time to let loose and rejoice that you made it through yet another quarter of challenging college courses. However, if you are planning to party hardy, think before you drink. Knowing the precautions you can take to care for yourself and the dangers of binge drinking will help keep you out of harm’s way so you can continue to party safely. 

Traffic accidents with drivers under age 25 increase during Spring Break. The CDC states that drunk driving accidents occur every 31 minutes normally, but during Spring Break that number rises by 23%. Binge drinking is a major factor of those numbers. One study by The American College of Health published in 2015 showed that males will consume 18 drinks a day and females up to 10 drinks a day during Spring Break.

It is also important to note that even after becoming unconscious or you have stopped drinking, your blood alcohol content continues to rise and you may even consume a lethal amount of alcohol before you pass out. This means that you really need to pay attention to the amount of drinks that you consume in a certain amount of time (Mayo Clinic, 2020).

Driving under the influence is another serious hazard and can cost you upwards of $10,000.  So please, do yourselves a favor and be safe!  

As a Mt. Hood Community College student, I want you to know of the ways you can minimize risks for yourself as well as others even in party environments off campus. Take an Uber; have a designated driver; do not become a statistic!

Make sure to have a blast over your Spring Break vacation, but please do so safely!  MHCC’s Public Safety department cares about you!  After all, you can still have a great time and follow these guidelines. Go Saints!