New Year’s Eve is a great night for celebrating with friends and family. There are plenty of parties and events, both private and public, for the New Year’s holiday. However, New Year’s can also be a dangerous evening for several reasons. Before you go out to celebrate the end of 2017 and the beginning of 2018, we want you to think about your safety and the safety of others so that you truly have a Happy New Year.
Ways to Reduce Your Risk of an Accident on New Year’s Eve
There are several steps you can take to help reduce the risk of being involved in an accident during the New Year’s holiday
- Never Drink and Drive. New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are extremely dangerous for everyone on the road because drunk driving incidents rise during the holiday. If you celebrate with alcohol, make sure you have a designated driver or another ride home. In addition, be cautious of other drivers on the road who might have had too much to drink. Try to avoid being on the road after 8:00 p.m. on New Year’s Eve.
- Drink Water Too. Alternate water with alcoholic drinks to avoid dizziness and headaches. Alcohol acts as a diuretic; therefore, you can become dehydrated if you drink nothing but alcohol all evening.
- Eat Something Too. In addition to the water, make sure that you eat something before you begin drinking and continue to have small snacks throughout the evening. Eating while you drink alcohol can slow down the absorption of alcohol. However, eating or drinking water does NOT mean that you are okay to drive because you can still be intoxicated even though you have been drinking some water and snacking during the evening.
- Be a Responsible Host. When hosting a New Year’s Eve celebration, there are a few things to keep in mind. Serve plenty of non-alcoholic beverages and food throughout the evening. Write down the telephone numbers of several cab companies and other forms of public transportation. Do not let anyone drive who appears to be intoxicated. If you are hosting a large party, you might want to consider hiring a bartender to help you keep an eye on guests during the evening. Bartenders are trained to look for signs of intoxication.
- Be Careful When Walking. Drinking and walking sometimes do not mix either. Pedestrians who have had too much to drink may not be as cautiouswhen crossing the street. Do not walk near traffic if you have been consuming alcohol. If you are driving, watch for pedestrians who might be drunk.
- Be Careful with Fireworks. Drinking alcohol and using fireworks can be dangerous. Even when you are sober, you need to be very careful when using fireworks. You can find information for the safe use of fireworks on Canada Safety Council’s website.
- Stay with a Group. Thieves and other individuals who might not have the best intention could target you if you are alone walking to your vehicle. Make plans to arrive and leave with a group of people to reduce the risk you become the victim of a crime.
- Limit Use of Social Media. When we consume alcohol, our inhibitions and judgment can be impaired. You do not want something you post to make its way to unintended individuals, such as your parents, co-workers, employer, etc. While you can delete a post, the post is always on the internet somewhere and might show up at the wrong time in the future.
Personal Injury Accidents on New Year’s Eve
If you are injured in a traffic crash, slip and fall, fireworks incident, or other accident, you might be entitled to compensation for your injuries if another party is at fault for the cause of the accident. The team of lawyers at Diamond and Diamond handle a variety of injury cases including claims involving premises liability, defective products, and vehicle-related accidents.
For a free consultation and case evaluation with an Ontario personal injury lawyer, call our 24/7 injury hotline at 1-800-567-HURT or visit our website to speak to someone now.
