New Year's Eve celebrations are just days away and with that comes a CarPro reminder to drink responsibly because it’s never okay to drink and drive. To help keep the roads safe, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) annual holiday Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign is currently underway through January 1, 2026. The agency reports that there were 298 drunk-driving-related death during Christmas and New Year's Eve periods 2023.
Remember these tips:
- Never drink and drive. Consider a taxi or rideshare if you are impaired. There are also services like AAA's Tow to Go program, a free and confidential service that provides a safe ride home for impaired drivers and their vehicles during most major holiday periods. Learn more about AAA Tow to Go .
- Don’t let someone get behind the wheel if that person has been drinking. Take their keys.
- Call 911 if you see a drunk driver.
- Always wear your seat belt, your best defense against impaired drivers.
Be A Responsible Party Host
If you are hosting a New Year's Eve party this year, make sure everyone has a sober ride home. Here are some other tips:
- Encourage guests to designate a sober driver in advance. As an incentive, reward designated drivers with a small gift or door prize.
- Provide designated drivers who can escort guests home safely.
- Collect keys at the door and monitor guests throughout the evening.
- Provide plenty of food and non-alcoholic beverages for guests, including coffee and tea.
- Stop serving alcohol at least an hour before the party is scheduled to end.
- Don't serve alcohol to minors.
- Keep an eye out for anyone who appears to have had too much to drink and take the keys from anyone who has.
- Keep the phone number or app for local cab companies or ride-share services handy.
- Help arrange overnight accommodations including allowing guests to stay at your house.
You could be held responsible for serving alcohol to a guest who later is involved in an accident and imagine the guilt you’d feel if your guest got hurt or killed or did this to someone else. It takes planning and coordination, but you can prevent drunk driving.
