The start of a new year is surely a reason to celebrate! However, it’s also a time when many choose to drink and drive. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, over the past five years, an average of 300 people have died in drunk driving crashes the week leading up to New Year’s Eve. Before popping a few too many bottles of champagne, consider these tips to protect you and your friends while ringing in the new year in Albuquerque!
Be the Host with the Most
Many opt to host a New Year’s Eve party to avoid drunk drivers on the road—but what about the guests that attend these parties? While you may be safe at home, your guests are still faced with the challenge of enjoying the night and getting home safely. Try these party tips to ensure a fun and safe night for everyone involved:
DD Plans?
As soon as a guest arrives, and especially before they start celebrating, emphasize the importance of a designated driver. Do they already have a DD? Great! If not, help them arrange for a rideshare service. If a guest doesn’t have a rideshare account, no problem! Apps such as Uber and Lyft give the option to ‘gift’ a ride and also allow multiple riders to split a payment. If all else fails, there’s this ol’ reliable party tip: confiscate their keys and let them crash. It’s the easiest way to make sure your guests don’t drive drunk and have a safe place to stay!
None of the Alcohol, All of the Fun!
Don’t forget about the DDs or friends that don’t like to drink—serve up some non-alcoholic cocktails so that everyone can celebrate! These drinks can be just as tasty and cool-looking, while helping to limit your guests’ access to alcohol. Even those who are drinking will still enjoy sipping a virgin drink or water to help regulate their celebrating!
Be a Safe Celebrator
If you and your friends have made the decision to go out for New Year’s celebrations, great—but before commencing the night’s festivities, make sure to arrange for a safe ride home! Choose a responsible and reliable friend to be the DD, or if everyone wishes to celebrate, arrange for a ride home through an Uber, Lyft, or other rideshare service. If you’re somewhere you feel safe, such as a friend or family member’s house, stay the night there. Lastly, if you feel that for any reason you may want to get in your car and drive later, give your keys to the host!
See a Drunk Driver? Call 911!
No matter where you are this New Year’s, make sure you’re keeping others, and yourself, safe on the road. If you suspect that someone may be driving drunk, call 911! Let the operator know that you want to report a drunk driver and be prepared to provide certain information like the exact location of the vehicle, the direction it’s headed, names of cross streets, and more. Though it’s important to give as much detail as possible, make sure to keep a safe distance while trying to get specifics such as the make, model, color, and license plate number of the vehicle.
For more information about how to stay safe during New Year’s and any time of year, learn more about NMDOT’s ENDWI campaign here. Stay safe, Albuquerque!