CULLMAN, Ala. – New Year’s Eve will see us bidding farewell to 2022 and welcoming in 2023. Many will opt to hold celebrations at home and to be tucked into bed well before midnight, while others plan to bring in the new year while celebrating throughout town with family and friends.
While the evening’s goal will be to have a joyous night of conviviality with friends, the public is encouraged by the Cullman Police Department to plan now to have a safe holiday.
Sgt. Adam Clark shared the following suggestions:
Hosting a party?
- Plan ahead. Name a “designated driver or drivers.” Make this your responsibility as the host.
- Expand your menu. Serve non-alcoholic beverages as an option to your guests.
- Be a responsible host. Stop serving alcohol to your guests several hours before the party ends. Ensure that water, juice and soda are plentiful.
- Give guests options. Provide your guests with a place to stay overnight in your home.
Not hosting a party? When you are attending New Year’s Eve parties and celebrations:
- If you drink, don’t drive. Always designate a sober driver before the party or celebration begins. If you are impaired, call or ask a sober friend or family member to pick you up. Or stay where you are until you are sober.
- If you don’t drink, but do drive, be alert and aware of your surroundings. Use seat belts!
- Be a good friend. Take the keys from someone if you think he/she is too impaired to drive.
The repercussions of a first offense driving under the influence charge can be up to one year in jail, fines between $600-$2,100 in addition to court costs and attorney’s fees, substance abuse evaluation and treatment if deemed necessary and a suspended driver’s license for 90 days or an ignition interlock, commonly known as an in-car breathalyzer (at the defendant’s expense). These are the baseline consequences, which are greater depending on the blood alcohol content of the defendant.
Above is the best-case scenario when driving intoxicated. In Alabama, 277 people lost their lives due to a drunk driver in 2019 and 30% of all traffic fatalities were due to alcohol impairment. When in doubt, don’t drive.
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