Speeding and reckless driving, impaired boating, binge drinking, drug use, lack of sleep, and other reckless behaviors lead to thousands of Reno Spring Break accidents and injuries each year.
Spring Break Dangers
Teenagers and reckless behaviors often go hand-in-hand, especially during spring break when millions of high school and college students are out of school and looking for a good time. Every year during spring break, crowds of young people head to popular destinations to celebrate an entire week of no classes, no homework assignments, and no exams.
For many teens and young adults, spring break equates to a deadly combination of reckless driving, heavy drinking, drug use, and all-night parties. Teens who indulge in these reckless behaviors are more susceptible to serious car accidents, promiscuous sex, physical assaults, and petty crimes. Binge drinking and drug use are responsible for many spring break fatalities caused by balcony falls, boating and jet ski injuries, alcohol poisonings, drug overdoses, and drownings.
Fatal Car Accidents
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), spring break traffic fatalities are 9 percent higher among drivers under age 25. During normal times throughout the year, a drunk driving accident claims the life of one driver every 31 minutes. Drunk driving deaths increase by at least 23 percent during spring break.
Boating and Jet Ski Accidents
Safe boating doesn’t mix with alcohol and/or drugs, yet Nevada lakes are filled with impaired, underage boaters and jet ski operators during spring break. Reckless behaviors on the water cause severe injuries including face lacerations, limb amputations, concussions, brain damage, and death.
Binge Drinking
Binge drinking is a common occurrence during spring break, especially among college students. Data shows that female students drink as many as 10 drinks a day, while male students drink up to 18 drinks a day. Binge drinking leads to serious injuries including alcohol poisoning, brain damage, and death.
Drug Overdoses
Drug use among teens and college students during spring break accounts for many accidents, injuries, and deaths. Drugs like heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, ecstasy, opioids, fentanyl. and other dangerous drugs are often recklessly passed around without regard for side effects and overdose risks.
Drownings
Since spring break involves water-related activities and pool parties, drowning accidents are all too common. In Nevada, where droves of spring breakers flock to Las Vegas and Lake Tahoe, drowning deaths are often linked to excessive alcohol and drug use.
