Tonight, we welcome with open arms the coming of 2013 and bid adieu to old man 2012. As we head out to celebrate the holiday, it’s vital that we keep safety in mind at all times. Police officers will be out in full force tonight to look out for those who let their reveling get out of hand, and you don’t want to get on the wrong side of the law. You also don’t want to find yourself in a hospital or a morgue to ring in the new year. Therefore, we advise that you consider some tips provided by the Alameda Police Department.
Many of the tips pertain to those who are hosting parties tonight. One must be a responsible host and do what is necessary to ensure the safety of all party attendees. The Alameda Police ask you to think about collecting the car keys of guests when such persons arrive at the party so that they have to go through you when it comes time to leave. This signals to the guest that drunk driving will not be tolerated and erects one more barrier to them crawling behind the wheel in an inebriated state.
When a guest gets to the point that they are visibly and exceedingly drunk, cut them off from additional alcoholic beverages. Have nonalcoholic items on hand for such persons as well as for designated drivers. Water should also be readily available. Set a time to shut the party down for the night, and cease serving alcohol a couple hours before that time so that guests can regain their senses. Even if guests have had a couple hours without alcohol, though, a designated driver should still be on hand. And if you’re a particularly good host, you would ask attendees to bring a sleeping bag or otherwise set up lodging so that they don’t have to drive.
There are some other, oft overlooked safety measures one should also take. Refrain from using fireworks, but be prepared should someone in your area not follow this directive. Keep your pets inside so that they don’t grow overly agitated with the loud noises. One other loud noise that should never be heard on New Year’s Eve? Gun shots. Should some irresponsible party begin to fire a gun into the air in celebration, call the authorities via 911 at once. This behavior will not be tolerated.
Finally, understand the personal and financial cost of driving while intoxicated. If you get pulled over, expect to pay an average of $8,000 to $10,000. But even that’s favorable to an injury that alters the course of your life or a fatality which ends that life completely. Be safe this holiday to prevent such a tragedy.