Safety Tips for Holiday Parties

The holiday season is here, and there are tons of opportunities for cheer, joy, and spending time with friends and family. Of course, this usually means that where there will be plenty of fun, laughter, food, there will also be alcohol. Coupled with the facts that you might be invited to multiple parties in one day and increased holiday shoppers on the road, you’ll want to make sure to keep yourself and your guests safe this season.

This is especially true if you’ll be the one hosting the party this year. Beyond just worrying about the decorations, food, and entertainment for the evening, you’ll also want to take into account a holiday party safety plan to ensure your guests all get home safely to their loved ones.

At J. Gonzalez Injury Attorneys, our attorneys want to make sure that if your party involves alcohol, everyone gets to enjoy themselves in a responsible manner. Of course this means that as a host, you’ll need to be diligent and keep an eye out for anyone who appears to be drinking too much. It’s also important to take into account weather conditions, and while the McAllen metro area doesn’t receive snow, a rainy evening can make the roads slippery and lead to a tragic accident.

With a bit of precaution, you can make sure everyone has a fun and safe holiday season. Consider utilizing the following safety tips for your holiday party:

1. Have a designated driver. This is one of the simplest things to do and can easily be prepared beforehand if you’re willing to ask a friend or two who usually don’t consume alcohol. This is also the most effective way to keep friends and family members safe on the roads this holiday season. Consider giving your designated driver a token of appreciation for their kind gesture.
2. Have cab numbers on hand. If having a designated driver doesn’t seem like a viable option, then consider collecting the phone numbers of local taxi companies online, and have them readily available for whenever a guest is ready to leave. People are more willing to call a cab when it is easy for them to do so. If you’re concerned a certain guest may not be too willing to call, then make the choice for them. They’ll be thankful for getting home safely to their family.
3. Don’t forget about non-alcoholic drinks. While many of your guests may enjoy a holiday party with an alcoholic drink, don’t forget to offer non-alcoholic beverages as an option as well. Infrequent drinkers left with no option may choose an alcoholic drink and may be more susceptible to buzzed or drunk driving because of their lower tolerance.
4. Offer food with wine. Drinking on an empty stomach can cause a person to become intoxicated much faster and leave your party. Serving food will encourage guests to drink more moderately and will help to slow down the effects of alcohol in their system.
5. Invite guests to stay at your place if need be. If you have room available to guests, consider inviting them to stay the night, to keep intoxicated friends off the road. The best way to avoid drunk driving is to not drive at all.
6. Hire a bartender for the party. If your party budget allows for a bartender, then consider hiring one for the evening. A paid server can keep on eye on a guest who has had too much to drink and cut them off if necessary. Yes, a holiday party is all about fun and festivity, but it’s better to be safe than sorry.
7. Intervene if necessary. Don’t be afraid to step in and take control of a situation – especially as the host. Call a cab on someone’s behalf, take away their keys, or call the police for assistance. While you don’t want to dampen anyone’s holiday spirit, social hosts laws in various states can make you responsible for damages and injuries caused by an intoxicated guests. Plus, a angry guest is infinitely better than a lost life.
8. Encourage guests to stay off the road between midnight and 3AM. Research from the US Department of Transportation indicates that this is when drunk driving accidents are more likely to occur.

Stay safe on the road this holiday season.

The winter holidays are some of the best days of the year because we get to enjoy the company of friends and family. However, it’s just as important to keep them safe and get them back home to their loved ones.

But even the safest drivers are sometimes involved in car accidents. If you or a loved one have unfortunately been involved in a auto accident in McAllen, or anywhere else in the Rio Grande Valley, don’t hesitate to contact J. Gonzalez Injury Attorneys at (956) 630-6700. We’ll fight to get the compensation you deserve.