It is the one time in a year when indulging in every kind of alcohol and liquor known to man is highly encouraged and done en masse: New Year’s Eve(well, that and St. Patrick’s Day). You can’t exactly pass up flute after flute after flute of champagne, especially since it’s free. But amid the festive atmosphere and bacchanalia, you will find a whole slew of unhappy, un-celebratory outcomes.
The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety reports that alcohol-related fatalities increase by 150 percent between Thanksgiving and January 3. No one wants to ring in the New Year with an accident or having been the cause of someone else’s accident. And no one is saying you shouldn’t celebrate like a lush either, but you have no excuse to get behind the wheel when intoxicated — not with these five great ways to celebrate New Year’s Eve parties.
1. Stay where you are — or the location of the party.
If it can be arranged and it is doable, why bother going home after having drunk the equivalent of an entire bar the night before? You can pack an overnight bag and stay where the New Year’s Eve party will be held.
Think about it. You don’t have to hurry back home. You don’t have to think about catching a cab. And you can help the host or hostess clean up the next day. Also, a hangover cure is always best shared than taken alone.
2. Use a shuttle.
Did you know that most bars now provide free shuttle services to New Year’s Eve revelers? If you’re partying at a nightclub, find out about free shuttles and if they include your neighborhood. By the way, make sure you will not be riding alone in the shuttle, just to be on the safe side.
3. Find a designated driver.
When you plan to ring in the New Year with a bunch of friends, talk it over and ask who wants to be the designated driver. Do this before you all drive out to the party so that no confusion gives way to bad incidents.
4. Get a car service.
Can’t get a designated driver? Don’t risk an accident or get into trouble at DUI checkpoints by recklessly getting behind the wheel. If you really must get home after the party, then rent a car with a driver.
5. Don’t try to walk.
Finally, walking home might save you from a DUI arrest. But walking could turn you into the victim. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, more pedestrians die on New Year’s Eve than any other day of the year.