As the holiday season culminates and the New Year 2020 is welcomed, along with a new decade, it’s important to stay safe. With the New Year celebration comes increased traffic and an abundance of holiday revelers. Adding to the traffic and holiday parties is the fact that with winter comes lower temperatures as well as rain, snow, and inclement weather. All this increases the importance of knowing how to stay safe with family and friends on New Year’s Eve and Day in Los Angeles. Here’s how!
This year, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day fall in the middle of the week, which often means more traffic than usual as people rush home from work in order to make it to their favorite New Year’s Eve celebration. These tips are designed to keep everyone safe for New Year’s Eve and the following day, as well as the whole year through.
- Don’t drive under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, or other drugs (illegal or prescription). Remember prescription medications – sleep aids, barbiturates, opiates, tranquilizers, anti-depressants, and pain killers don’t mix well with alcohol. Over-the-counter medications like allergy, cold, flu, and cough medications mixed with alcohol can also result in a DUI. Alcohol is often the foundational ‘drug’ coupled with combinations of other drugs in fatal DUI accidents and crashes.
- If you plan to drink at the New Year’s Eve event, take care, and limit your consumption to one alcoholic beverage or designate a driver who will abstain from drinking to bring you and your friends home safe.
- If everyone in your party wants to drink, and no one is willing to be the designated driver, plan to use public transit, take an Uber or Lyft, or utilizes the services of a taxi to make your way home when the party is over. Make the plan for your safe ride home before the party ever begins!
- Be safe as you enjoy the New Year’s Eve celebration and never your drink – alcoholic or not – unattended. You don’t want to drink a beverage which has been tampered with or spiked.
- When the champagne comes out for the midnight toast to welcome in the New Year, make sure it has been chilled to 45 degrees or less and take care if you are opening a bottle. Never point it toward other party-goers, as the cork can shoot across the room unexpectedly if not chilled and cause injury to the guests. Always place a towel over the champagne bottles’ cork when removing it to ensure everyone’s safety.
- If you see someone get behind the wheel who is impaired, or a driver on the road who is impaired, please call 9-1-1.
Keep in mind that emergency incidents and vehicle crashes are significantly increased on New Year’s Eve into New Year’s Day and plan ahead to keep you and your friends safe as you welcome in the New Year and new decade. With a bit of foresight and planning, you’ll have the best New Year’s celebration ever in the company of friends and family!
If you or a loved one are hit by a drunk driver this New Year’s Eve or Day, make sure to contact the experienced team at The Barnes Firm. We’re here to help you get the justice you deserve!
Tags :
Drunk Driving , Los Angeles , New Year's Day , New Year's Eve
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