Make a Resolution to Stay Safe

Here at Auger & Auger, we are always happy to provide assistance to those who need it. We are even happier when people do not need our services due to proactive behaviors on their part. When it comes to holiday celebrations, an ounce of prevention is truly worth a pound of cure.

New Year’s Eve is a time for reflecting upon the past and looking towards the future. It is a time when many of us gather with friends and family to celebrate what is to come. If you are hosting a New Year’s Eve celebration this year, we urge you to do so with everyone’s safety in mind. We ask that you please follow these tips:

• Name a Designated Driver

It is your responsibility as a host to ensure that your guests have a good time. It is also your responsibility to make sure they get home safely. Before a single guest walks through your door, designate a driver that will get everyone home safely. Whether this is yourself or another volunteer, you will rest better knowing that you protected the lives of your guests and others on the road.

• Offer Non-Alcoholic Options

You may have some guests who would prefer not to consume alcohol. Be sure to have non-alcoholic beverages on hand. You can find non-alcoholic mixers that mimic your favorite adult beverages, sparkling ciders, and even soft beverages that your guests will enjoy.

• Stop Serving

Stop serving alcoholic beverages several hours before the end of the night. Offer your guests a small glass of champagne to toast with at midnight if they like, but no more. Having two or more hours between the last drink and starting the engine gives your guests a chance to metabolize their alcohol (re: sober up)!

• Open the Guest Room

If none of the options above, open up your sofa bed, your guest room, or even pitch a few tents in the backyard. Providing your guests a place to stay means that everyone will get home safely…tomorrow!

• Take Keys at the Door

Most guests will be cooperative when you tell them that they shouldn’t drive home. There will be that one guest who wants to bully his way out of your home and into his car. To curtail this, make a condition of attending your party is that everyone hands over their keys at the door. The only way to get them back is to pay you a visit before they leave, letting you check to be sure they are sober.

If you host a party and continue to serve people who are knowingly intoxicated, you could be held partially liable for any accidents they cause. Do yourself and everyone a favor and follow the tips above for a safe New Year’s Eve party.

We at Auger & Auger wish you, your family, and your loved ones all of the best in the coming year. We wish you joy, peace and, above all, safety. Enjoy your celebrations as we all welcome 2015!