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Heavy Drinking, or Binge Drinking, Amplifies Risk of Accidents

The number of adults in the United States drinking alcohol seems to be increasing according to a new study. Not only that, but this increase in alcohol use seems to be consistent among all the ethnic groups, including whites, blacks and Hispanics. More concerning to California drunk driving accident lawyers, there has been an increase in heavy drinking, or binge drinking, in the US.

The researchers considered American men and women between 1992 and 2002. During this period of time, the percentage of men and women who drank alcohol increased. However, the study results show that Americans don’t seem to be drinking more. The number of alcoholic beverages being consumed per month has remained more or less steady over this period.

The main aim of this study was not just to determine whether alcohol consumption has increased or decreased in American society, but also whether these trends are similar in all ethnic groups-blacks, whites and Latin Americans. According to the researchers, it’s the first cross ethnic study that has been conducted on alcohol use. According to the researchers, there was an increase in the mean number of drinks that whites consumed, compared to blacks and Hispanics.

One very disturbing fact is revealed in the study. While the number of drinks being consumed has not really increased much, the tendency to binge drink has definitely increased. There has been an upward trend in persons belonging to all the ethnic groups consuming five or more drinks a day at least once a week, which typically constitutes heavy drinking, or binge drinking. Further, this could just be the tip of the iceberg.

The study only considered data between 1992 and 2002, which was much before the recession began. Since then, the stock market has collapsed, unemployment rates have skyrocketed, and there is a sense of economic gloom in the country. Studies confirm that during times of economic turmoil, the tendency to abuse alcohol and go on drinking binges, actually increases. These are the times when there is a danger of severe alcohol-related excesses, such as binge drinking. Motorists who have consumed excessive amounts of alcohol are in serious danger behind the wheel. It is highly likely that the number of binge drinkers in the US has actually increased over the past couple of years since the recession set in.

There are several advantages to having a cross ethnic alcohol use study.  Drinking patterns  are not the same across races. For instance in low-income neighborhoods like those that are operated by blacks and Hispanics, there may be a higher exposure to alcohol and therefore among a greater risk of alcohol use. These persons may also be at a greater risk from heavy–duty alcohol advertising. Besides, these communities tend to have fewer resources to help persons with an addiction problem, and this can ultimately prove serious for these motorists.

There is a definite need for more studies like this can provide clues about how we can go about preventing alcohol-related crashes. Drunk driving accidents remain a major killer on American roads, and studies like this can help make more progress on this issue.

The Reeves Law Group is a law firm with offices throughout California dedicated exclusively to the representation of personal injury victims, including victims of drunk driving accidents. Please visit our website at http://www.robertreeveslaw.com/. If you desire a free consultation on a personal injury matter, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us at contact@robertreeveslaw.com.

The Reeves Law Group is not representing any party in the matters discussed in this posting.

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