The New Year’s holiday has the most alcohol-related accidents and deaths.
According to AAA, the upcoming holiday has the most alcohol-related deaths and accidents compared to any other day of the year. In California, 1,200 people were arrested on New Year’s last year for suspicion of drunk driving.
California Highway Patrol will have patrols as early as 6 p.m. today. There will be patrols until just before midnight on January 1st. Patrols will be vigilant.
Drunk Driving is not only dangerous it is also expensive. A first-offense misdemeanor DUI conviction can cost almost $16,000. This cost includes fees, fines, court costs, and increase of car insurance. And, this is cost of a first-offense misdemeanor. If there are accidents and damage, the cost will increase. There is also risk of serious jail time. Of course, there is also risk of hurting and ending countless lives.
There are many resources available for this holiday. Two free services include AAA and the Orange County Transportation Authority. AAA will offer their free tow services from 6 p.m. on New Year’s Eve to 6 a.m. on New Year’s Day. The tow cannot be more than seven miles, but there are no limits for the number of passengers. This is a one-time, one-way ride home. The number for this service is 1-800-400-4AAA. The Orange County Transportation Authority will have free bus rides from 6 p.m. on New Year’s Eve until 2:30 a.m. on New Year’s Day. It is important to check the route beforehand because bus schedules may vary. Schedules can be found the OCTA website or calling 714-636-7433.
There are also services that will pick up customers at a specific location: BeMyDD and Designation Drivers. BeMyDD offers two services. One service is a Designated Driver, which operates like a personal chauffeur. The other service is a BeMyDD driver. This service will drive a customer home, and drive his or her vehicle home too. There are charges for this service. This service is 24 hours and requires a reservation. Reservations can be made by calling 877-U-BEMYDD or the website bemydd.com. Another service is Designation drivers. This is a private driver service. There is also a service charge for this service.
Other options include simply calling a taxi or having a friend be the designated driver. There are many simple solutions to avoid drunk driving. Please drive safely and do not drink and drive. Have a Happy New Year!
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