Fireworks and alcohol don’t mix

Fireworks. Photo: Tolletaten.no

Fireworks and alcohol don’t mix

After every New Year’s Eve, the ophthalmologist, Nils Bull, meets men who have had their eyes injured.

 

“Men are overbearing. They should leave the fireworks to the ladies,” he said.

Nothing indicates that it will be different this year Stop thinking “it won’t happen to me”. On Tuesday, someone will sit and regret bitterly that they didn’t wear protective goggles. They will have their lives turned on their heads in one second,” said the experienced superior at the Haukeland University Hospital’s eye department.

“On Tuesday, someone will sit and regret bitterly that they didn’t wear protective goggles. They will have their lives turned on their heads in one second,” said the experienced superior at the Haukeland University Hospital’s eye department.

“Why is it happening again year after year, despite all the warnings? Because people think that “it won’t happen to me”. But it does occasionally.

Young men most vulnerable By “people”, he means men. Mostly young men. With high blood alcohol levels at the moment of the accident.

“Young, drunken men are most at risk. They feel invincible and become overbearing when drunk. Keeping up with explosives when you have more than one ounce of booze is an incredibly bad combination. Judgment goes out of the window when per mille goes up,” said Bull.

How often are women injured because they light the fireworks?

“I never experienced that. It is not going to happen. Women follow the rules.”

Previously, Nils Bull has urged people to stay sober when lighting fireworks, or letting one person stay away from alcohol to take care of the explosives.

Now, another solution that he is sure would get the damage figure drastically down.

“ Let the ladies be responsible for the fireworks. They follow the rules and do it in a proper manner. It is a great solution,” said Bull.

Figures from the Directorate for Civil Protection and Emergency Planning (DSB), on the other hand, showed that the number of injured women is increasing. Last New Year’s Eve, women accounted for 37% of those injured.

Many of these were spectators of the fireworks. According to Eye Doctor, Bull, spectators make up one third of those injured.

Insurance company: Positive development

23% of those injured were under the age of 18, although there is an 18-year age limit for the purchase and use of fireworks.

“There are gloomy figures, but we also experience a positive development in that the number of injured people is smaller than just a few years ago. More and more people seem to take the security seriously,” said communication consultant at Tryg Forsikring, Torbjørn Brandeggen.

Most accidents occurred last year in Hordaland and Østfold, but according to Bull, it was accidental.

“We have statistics on eye injuries from 13 years ago, and they are spread all over the country. There is nothing to suggest that people are more careless in these counties than in the others,” said the senior doctor.

© NNK / #Norway Today