The American Automobile Association consistently finds that New Year’s Day is the deadliest day of the year for alcohol-related fatalities. Half of the fatal crashes involve an intoxicated driver, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

New Years Eve Safe Driving Tips

It may seem improbable that you or someone you love will end up as a statistic, but why take that chance? There are plenty of things you can do to protect yourself, your family, and your friends from being a victim in a fatal car crash. Just be smart and follow these tips:

• Designate a driver. If you absolutely must be out on the Michigan roads on New Year’s Eve, name a designated driver. It’s fun to celebrate and let loose, but make sure there’s at least one completely sober person in the group who will be a capable, alert, and safe driver behind the wheel when the time comes to hit the road.
• Call a cab. Most major cities sponsor a sober cab program (Oakland, Macomb, and Wayne Counties in Michigan, in particular) on New Year’s Eve so that revelers can find a safe way home when their parties have come to a close (often at no charge). Have the number of a local cab company programmed into your phone and plan to call it, even if it means you have to leave your car behind and pick it up the next day.
• Keep the party at home. Planning a big bash at your home? Then plan to hold a sleepover as well. If your place is big enough, set up some air mattresses, pull out the couches, and unroll some sleeping bags. Your party will be that much better if guests have a place to crash and sober up before they decide to head out onto the roads.

Unfortunately, there are only so many precautions you can take yourself. Though single-vehicle crashes are at a high on New Year’s as well, the biggest danger is often the other person who’s out there on the highway, driving impaired and being reckless, posing a danger to every other driver and passenger on the road. If you or someone you love has been the victim of an auto accident at the hands of a drunk driver, contact David C. Femminineo to discuss your personal injury case.