Saturday is the final day of 2022. Let’s agree, as we prepare to celebrate the New Year, to celebrate responsibly. That means no drinking and driving, taking care with fireworks, no shooting guns into the air in celebration and no drunken fights at parties.
There can be pressure and hype around what to do during this long New Year’s weekend. Many people want to have a memorable time and alcohol often plays a big part in the activities, as it can throughout the entire holiday season.
First off, don’t drink and drive. There are plenty of reasons not to do this. Many of them have badges. You can bet that officers from the Dalton Police Department, deputies from the Whitfield County Sheriff’s Office and troopers from the Georgia State Patrol will be out in force in an effort to cut down on drunken driving.
Here are some simple options to consider and choose from to make sure you and others are safe:
• Just don’t drink and drive. The amount of alcohol it takes to get to a blood alcohol content of .08, the legal limit, depends on a variety of factors such as how fast you drink and your weight. If you’ve had anything to drink, don’t get behind the wheel no matter what.
• Designate a sober driver. Plan this ahead of time and it means you can relax and indulge without worrying about driving yourself home.
• Take a cab.
• Have a sleepover. Consider making plans to sleep where you’re celebrating New Year’s Eve.
• Just don’t drive. Even if you’re sober, there’s no way to control other drivers. There will probably be lots of impaired drivers out there and the best way to stay safe is to avoid driving altogether.
Another dangerous holiday tradition is shooting guns into the air in celebration. The bullets don’t just magically disappear. Injuries happen when those bullets fall to Earth and that’s just when the guns are pointed up.
Finally, let’s avoid those Jan. 2 headlines about fights, stabbings and shootings at New Year’s parties. They happen far too often, but they are not inevitable.
So let’s remember the reason for the celebration — the start of a brand new year with a clean slate and a whole new set of possibilities — and have a safe and fun time.