New Year's Eve safety tips, straight from emergency department doctors   

New Year’s Eve, that busy night of revelry, food and drink with friends and loved ones, also can be a hectic time at hospital emergency departments when the fun goes awry.

Doctors say this is the time of year they see an increase in car crashes, intoxication cases and even accidents in the kitchen.

Newsday spoke with several emergency department doctors on Long Island about common holiday hazards and how people can celebrate and stay safe. 

On the roads

Injuries due to vehicle accidents increase every year around New Year’s Eve, said Dr. Neil K. Dasgupta, director of Emergency Critical Care at Nassau University Medical Center.

“It’s the holidays — everyone’s stressed, everyone's busy, things are crowded,” Dasgupta said. “There are a lot of traffic accidents, whether they are related to alcohol or not. People are out trying to get places and they are not paying attention. There is a lot more traffic on the road.”

The National Safety Council estimates that 375 people may die on U.S. roads during the New Year’s Day holiday period, which lasts from Friday through Monday. Alcohol consumption is a major contributing factor.

Doctors suggest designating a driver who will abstain from alcohol for the night, or using a ride share service. If possible, stay off the roads to avoid dangerous drivers.

“Really, there is no safe amount [of alcohol] if you are driving,” said Dr. Matthew Projansky, associate chair of emergency medicine for Plainview Hospital and Syosset Hospital.

One drink too many

There are a lot of alcohol-related cases that come into the emergency room every New Year’s Eve, Projansky said. “A lot of teen and underage drinking takes place,” he said. “[Teens] are usually more susceptible to the effects of alcohol because they don’t drink regularly.”

Some patients require IV fluids to hydrate, and time, but others who are vomiting and aspirating may need more serious medical intervention, doctors said.

Excessive alcohol consumption also could lead to a condition known as “holiday heart,” said Dr. Robert Schwaner, medical director of the department of emergency medicine and chief of the division of toxicology at Stony Brook University Hospital.

“Alcohol is a direct irritant to the heart,” he said. “If someone binges on alcohol over a week or two, it’s not uncommon to get atrial fibrillation," an irregular heart rate that impacts blood flow.

Projansky said he also sees more trips and falls, and twisted ankles, sometimes due to people wearing high-heeled shoes.

"Even if you aren't drunk, your balance might be a little off," he said.

Hazards at home

Using knives and other sharp utensils to prepare meals; washing glasses; falling down stairs and even popping the cork can lead to injuries that land people in emergency rooms every New Year’s Eve.

“A big one we see all the time is people trying to clean glasses who are intoxicated,” Schwaner said. “Then they break the wine glass and cut their hand.”

And when you have “50 champagne corks going off in a room,” it can definitely cause some injuries, Dasgupta said.

He said some people choose dangerous ways — fireworks and even firearms — to celebrate the holidays.

“Make sure you are around people who you trust,” Dasgupta said. “Keep your phone charged and stay in touch with your friends and family.”

Schwaner suggests everyone “have a plan” to keep an eye on each other, travel safely and dress appropriately for the weather. No one wants to be stranded, he said, especially since temperatures are expected to dip into the 30s on Sunday night.

“Hypothermia is a real issue,” he said.

Projansky pointed out that people who are drunk may not even realize they are hypothermic.

“Whiskey going down feels warm, but alcohol doesn’t raise your body temperature,” he said. “It actually lowers it.”

By Lisa L. Colangelo

lisa.colangelo@newsday.com@lisalcolangelo

Lisa joined Newsday as a staff writer in 2019. She previously worked at amNewYork, the New York Daily News and the Asbury Park Press covering politics, government and general assignment.