Play It Safe On New Year’s Eve

Heading out for a night on the town is a New Year’s Eve tradition, and the Bradenton and St. Petersburg areas feature an abundance of different types of events to choose from. While toasting in the New Year is often part of the fun, be sure and make arrangements for how to get home. Drunk driving accidents are unfortunately common over this particular night of the year. At the Law Office of Steven G. Lavely, we want you to be aware of the potential dangers, and offer the following tips to help keep you and your loved ones safe.

Drunk Driving Accidents on New Year’s Eve

According to Safe Auto, more drunk driving accidents occur over New Year’s Eve than at any other time of the year. More than 150 people lose their lives over this single 24-hour period than at any other time of the year and in 70 percent of cases, drunk driving is to blame.

The American Safety Council (ASC) advises that even a couple of drinks can significantly impair your driving abilities. By closely monitoring traffic conditions and holding DUI checkpoints, local law enforcement officials will be out doing their part to keep roads throughout our area safe. While you cannot always prevent others from drinking and driving over New Year’s Eve, there are steps you can take to protect yourself:

• Choose activities that do not focus primarily on drinking
• If you do intend to drink, look for someone to act as a designated driver.
• Consider taking a taxi or an Uber home, but be sure and make reservations in advance as New Year’s Eve is one of the busiest nights of the year for this industry.
• Make plans to spend New Year’s Eve at a local hotel and resort. They often feature lavish parties and have special rates so you can spend the night, rather than having to drive home.

Do Your Part to Keep Guests Safe

While staying in and hosting a party at home can make sense as an option to avoid conflicts over drinking and driving, be aware of the responsibility you owe to your guests. In some cases, if they do get into a drunk driving accident resulting in serious injuries, you may be liable for damages suffered under Florida negligence laws. To protect yourself and those you care about, follow these tips on serving alcohol at parties from the ASC:

• Avoid over serving your guests and stop providing alcohol within an hour or two of when your party is expected to end;
• Make sure you provide plenty of food, along with non-alcoholic beverages;
• Offer alternative transportation options, such as a sober friend willing to drive people home;
• Provide overnight accommodations for those who may have had too much to drink.
  

At the Law Office of Steven G. Lavely, your safety and well being is our top priority. When car accidents do occur, contact our Bradenton car accident attorney and request a consultation. We can advise you on how to get the compensation you need to recover, so call or contact us online today.

Resource:

blog.safeauto.com/new-years-drunk-driving-statistics/