Going out tonight?

Then West Virginia Universitys Ruth Kershner has a sobering thought for you: The more you drink, says Kersher, an outreach specialist in the Department of Community Medicine, the more likely youll be to get into trouble.

According to the National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, some 1,700 college students between the ages of 18 and 24 will die this year from alcohol-related injuries, including falls and car crashes.

Nearly 100,000 in that same age group will be the victims of alcohol-fueled sexual assault.

And close to 700,000 will be physically assaulted by another student who has been drinking.

You have to be aware,Kershner said.When youre aware, youre in control. And when youre in control, youre less inclined to get into situations where youll get yourself into trouble.

It also helps to have a guardian angel, too, which is the role the students she advises in the Community Medicine Student Association will take Thursday night (Aug. 30) on High Street in downtown Morgantown.

TheAngels on Higheffort will be from 10:30 p.m.-1 a.m. at the corner of High and Wall streets, where Kershner and students will distributeGuardian Angelstrips that give an approximate reading of ones blood alcohol content.

Literature on the dangers of binge drinking (five or more drinks in one sitting for men, four for women) will also be distributed, along with specialSafe Drinkcoasters that can test for the presence of GHB , Ketamine and otherdate rapedrugs.

Janelle Zinn, a student and member of the associations leadership council, said while she doesnt want towreck anyones good time,she also doesnt want her classmates getting into car wrecks are other dangerous circumstances just because of alcohol.

We just want to promote safe behavior and the avoidance of binge drinking,Zinn said.Its not going to be much fun if you get hurt or you hurt someone elseor worsebecause of alcohol.

This is the sixth time WVU students have provided this safety event in downtown Morgantown.