Intoxication may make it difficult for a victim to escape a fire. It also increases the likelihood of starting a fire by forgetting that the stove is on, or by falling asleep while smoking. Falls A number of studies have implicated alcohol in falls. The role of alcohol in other kinds of injuries has generally not been firmly established, either because few studies have been conducted or the evidence of a link is weak. Alcohol may play an important role in recreational injuries, but the importance of alcohol largely depends on the type of recreational activity.
Alcohol is more implicated in leisure activities, such as swimming, than other types of sports.
Few studies have been conducted relating alcohol intoxication to injuries in the home, and results are largely inconclusive. A significant proportion of falls, fires and violence involve alcohol, however, and can occur at home. Available evidence is not sufficient to conclude that alcohol plays a substantial causal role in work injuries. Little research has been done, however, on the effect of hangovers or the sleep deprivation that may be associated with bouts of drinking, but we know that lack of sleep plays a major role in job accidents. There appear to be wide variations, depending on the type of injury, in the relationship between alcohol and injury.