Like it or not, drinking and fireworks are pretty much synonymous with the Fourth of July holiday. Both can be fun, but if they’re not handled responsibly, they can do a lot of damage. 

For people over 21, beer goes great with burgers and brats, and margaritas and tacos are a perfect pair — but drinking and driving and drinking and launching fireworks are two combinations that don’t mix together well. 

Fourth of July is one of the hottest times of the year — not only for the weather, but also for DUI offenses, wrecks and fatalities, and we encourage everyone to celebrate the holiday responsibly by arranging for a designated driver and to not handle fireworks when under the influence.

Too often we see people listed on the police report or sheriff’s report who were driving while under the influence, and those are just the ones who were caught. 

All too often we encounter vehicle wrecks that could have been prevented had a designated driver been behind the wheel instead. 

These are senseless crimes. Powell is a pedestrian-friendly community, and walking is a safer option than driving. Public intoxication is a crime too, but at least it doesn’t put the lives of others at risk.

Fortunately, Powell is also a friendly community in general, so chances are good someone will offer a ride home should the need arise. 

The same is true for boating — navigating a boat is hard enough when sober without adding a high blood-alcohol content to the equation. And, should the need to swim arise, it’s a safe bet that drunken swimming is a lot harder than sober swimming. 

As for the more explosive of the two Independence Day staples — fireworks caused more than 11,000 injuries in 2013 according to the National Fire Protection Association.

Fireworks account for two out of five of all reported U.S. fires on the Fourth of July, more than any other cause of fire, according to the association.

Considering how close we are to the country’s most celebrated national park and state parks, it’s our responsibility to keep them as safe as possible — and that is why fireworks are banned in many of the surrounding counties and within park boundaries. 

Most fireworks-related injuries occur without a fire starting, according to the association. More than half of fireworks-related injuries in 2013 were to extremities — 36 percent were on the hand or finger, 14 percent on the legs, and 5 percent on the arms. Most of the remaining injuries were to parts of the head (38 percent), including the eyes (16 percent of total), according to the association.

Three out of five fireworks injuries were burns, and one-fifth were contusions or lacerations, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Even sparklers accounted for two out of five of fireworks injuries resulting in emergency room visits.

Out of those injured, 40 percent were younger than 15 years old. Injury risks from fireworks were highest for children under 5, followed by children 10-14, according to the association. Males accounted for 57 percent of the injuries overall.

With this in mind, we encourage parents who choose to purchase fireworks to only allow their use with close supervision and to use common sense.

After all, nobody wants to spend the holiday in the ER or the summer in a cast. 

The Tribune’s staff encourages everyone to have a fun and safe Fourth of July holiday.