As 2023 comes to a close and 2024 approaches, you may be planning your end-of-the-year celebrations. You should have a great time because you deserve it. However, we also want you, your friends, and your family to remain safe as you enjoy the New Year’s Eve festivities. Here, our Coweta County personal injury lawyers want to offer some basic tips for keeping New Year’s Eve safe and fun for everyone involved as you bring in the new year in the beautiful state of Georgia.
Vehicle and Roadway Safety
Perhaps the most important safety reminder for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day is a vehicle and driving safety reminder. Unfortunately, holidays such as New Year’s Eve typically give rise to more drinking and driving than other days of the year.
Information available from the National Safety Council shows that an estimated 408 individuals will lose their lives this New Year’s Eve holiday period. Not only are holidays when more individuals take to the roadways, but these are also times when individuals tend to enjoy alcoholic beverages more.
If you’re going to go anywhere outside of your own home this New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day, and if you expect to drink any alcohol, please have a planned ride home. This can include tapping a designated driver or relying on rideshare services.
Be Safe With Fireworks
New Year’s Eve is one of the most popular times of year for fireworks, but fireworks can also lead to major injuries and property damage. Information from the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) indicates that small firecrackers and sparklers were a leading cause of firework injuries in 2022. Some of the main safety tips provided by the CPSC include the following:
- Do not allow children to play with or ignite fireworks (including sparklers)
- Make sure fireworks are legal in your particular area, and check with your local municipality for any permitting restrictions
- Keep a bucket of water or a hose nearby just in case the fireworks ignite something else in your vicinity
- Only light one firework at a time and then move away quickly until it ignites
- Never try to relight or pick up fireworks that did not go off (the duds)
- Do not mix alcohol and firework activities
Keeping Pets Safe
If you are going to leave your home for New Year’s Eve, make sure your pets have a safe location to hide if fireworks scare them while you are gone. If you do intend to be home or have any other individuals over to your home for New Year’s Eve, make sure you have a plan in place for pet safety.
We know that you care about your pets, but many other individuals who come to your household may not even know about your pets or take the same precautions to keep them from getting out of the house. We strongly encourage you to keep a close eye on your pets if fireworks start to go off because this could cause your pet to run off unexpectedly. Make sure your pets have a collar with a tag containing identifying information.