Avoid DUI and drink responsibly this New Year’s Eve

You and many other Illinois residents are likely gearing up for a New Year’s Eve celebration. You may enjoy this holiday because it gives you the opportunity to reflect on the year that is coming to a close and to consider your goals and resolutions for the coming year. Of course, it likely also means that you will be out late with friends.

If you plan to drink this New Year’s Eve, you are not alone. Numerous holiday parties have alcohol as a beverage option, and you may plan to ring in 2020 with a toast. You may want to remember, however, that alcohol consumption increases during the holidays, and more drunk drivers could be on the roads.

Avoid being one of those drivers

You certainly do not want to start the new year off with a DUI charge after a night of celebrating. Therefore, you may want to consider the following tips for drinking responsibly:

  • Know how you are getting home: To avoid even having the chance of driving home, you may want to pre-book a cab or ensure that you have a designated driver at the party or one who will pick you up at a specific time.
  • Set a limit for yourself: You may have had times in your life where you simply knocked back one drink after another, but it may not be wise to take that approach this New Year’s Eve. Instead, limit yourself to a drink or two with plenty of water in between.
  • Know your tolerance limit: If you do not set a limited number of drinks, at least know ahead of time what your tolerance level is. This information could help you avoid having even one too many.
  • Pace yourself: Remember, New Year’s Eve can make for a long night, so it is better to pace your drinking throughout the evening than hitting it hard from the start.

Hopefully, sticking to these tips will help you have a good time and avoid putting yourself and others in any danger. It may also help you avoid getting pulled over and charged with DUI first thing in the new year. Of course, even if by some mishap you do end up facing this accusation, you still have legal options and can work to avoid having such a charge ruin your fresh start.