Everyone is looking forward to celebrating New Year’s Eve, whether you’re going out or staying in. While New Year’s celebrations always guarantee a fun time, it’s a risky night to be out and about. Experts estimate that there is one alcohol related death every 31 minutes, caused in part by the number of drunk drivers on the road throughout the evening.
If you’re hosting a party, keeping yourself and your family members safe will be relatively simple. As host or hostess, however, looking out for your guests can be a little more work. These five suggestions can help ensure that your party guests get home safely, whether they’ve been drinking or not.
1 Serve food throughout the evening, to help counteract all of the alcohol consumption. Most adults choose to drink on New Year’s Eve, even if it’s just a glass or two of champagne. If there’s plenty of available food at your party, it’ll be easy to slow the effects of their cocktails. Choose high carb snacks like meat and cheese plates, which will fill up your guests without making them want to drink more.
2 Have a plan for inebriated guests. If some of your guests are planning on drinking heavily during the course of the party, make sure that they can stay on your couch, get a ride from another guest, or have a cab lined up to take them home. You can place a bowl by the door for car keys so that guests aren’t tempted to drive after drinking, and it’ll let you keep an eye on people attempting to sneak out.
3 Stop serving alcohol an hour before the end of the party, and replace it with fun options like sparkling water, juice, and water. This will help encourage your guests to drink responsibly and sober up before they get on the road. You can use this hour to wind down, calm the tone of the party, and enjoy quiet coffee and dessert.
4 Make smart drinking choices. Hydrate and pace yourself! Drink a glass or bottle of water for every cocktail you drink, and pace yourself to one drink an hour. You can enjoy the festivities and holiday cocktails without overindulging. Consider adding soda water to your cocktails to dilute the effect of the alcohol, but stay away from tonic. The high sugar content and carbonation in tonic can actually speed up the effect of the alcohol.
5 Throw a good party! It seems like it should go without saying, but if you throw a fun filled party with board games and other forms of entertainment, it’ll slow the drinking of your guests. Make some fun playlists and encourage your guests to dance, rather than drink.
If you have plans to go out on New Year’s Eve, it’s even more important that you’re vigilant about your safety. Traveling to and from the event will be the most dangerous part of the evening. Even if you and your friends or family are practicing safe habits, there is always a risk posed by other drivers on the road.
1 Make sleeping plans. Consider staying over at your host’s home. This obviously won’t be an option for everyone, but may be a good option if you’re particularly close to the host or they plan to host the party in a spacious home. This will eliminate your need to get on the road at two or three in the morning, when bars are closing and the most people are on the road.
2 Hydrate yourself! This rule is equally important for everyone, no matter where you’re spending the night. Drink a glass or bottle of water in between every cocktail to make sure you don’t get drunk too quickly, and snack throughout the evening. Choose carb heavy snacks like meat, cheese, and unsalted nuts to fill you up, but stay away from salty snacks. Sodium filled snacks are likely to encourage you to drink more, so they’re a good thing to avoid.
3 Make safe travel plans! Your host has probably given you a ballpark estimate for the party’s lengths, so it should be easy to call a cab and stay safe on your way home. If you’re attending the party with friends or headed out to a bar, appoint a designated driver who’s committed to staying sober all evening. A glass of champagne is okay, but make sure they’re okay to drive before you get in their car.
4 Stay alert! Don’t leave your drink at the bar or table without supervision, and don’t let anyone bring you a drink that you wasn’t poured in front of you. That way you can make sure nothing has been slipped into your drink without your consent.
Enjoy the festivities and most importantly, stay safe!