New Year’s Eve can be a wonderful and exciting time of the year for many people with plans for parties and celebrations with friends and families but it should also be important to highlight that dangers are still present – With many countries reporting rises in crime and violence around this period, such as Dyfed Powys Police alone responding to 361 incidents during NYE 2021.
So if you’re wondering on how to stay safe on new year’s eve, below are some safety tips you, your families and friends can follow so you can celebrate the coming of the next year in safety.
- Common New Year’s Eve Crimes
- Plan Your Travels
- Assume A Designated Driver Or Call A Taxi
- Know Your Limits
- Keep Your Phone Charged
- Firework Safety
- Trust Your Gut
- Conclusion
Common New Year’s Eve Crimes
There are a variety of crimes to be on the look out for during the NYE period including but not limited to –
- People Driving Under The Influence Of Drugs & Alcohol – this may lead to accidents and even death by dangerous or reckless driving.
- Property Damage – under the influence of alcohol, drunk house party guests or even drunk drivers can result in massive property damages – a potential way to remedy this if you own your own business is by hiring a private security service.
- Vehicle Theft – Unfortunately, car theft is more common in the USA during New Year’s Eve & New Year’s Day.
- Assault and Battery – Heavy alcohol consumption on NYE unfortunately also leads to an increase in violent behaviour.
Plan Your Travels
One key way on how to stay safe on New Year’s Eve is by planning your evening travel arrangements as much as you can.
If you know you’re on your way to a certain party or event that’s on the other side of town for example, why not think about splitting a taxi with friends instead of taking a long bus, train or even walking for example – this type of planning may be safer as it leads to less of a chance you’ll run into trouble on the way to your celebration.
If you do need to walk or take public transport to your event, be sure not to travel alone and travel with friends wherever possible – there is safety when travelling in numbers, especially during dark winter nights.
Assume A Designated Driver Or Call A Taxi
As previously touched upon, unfortunately dangerous drunk driving is all too common during NYE.
If you’re adamant of you or your friends needing to drive to an event, it’s important to assign a Designated Driver that will not consume alcohol before or after driving you to and from your NYE festivities to avoid getting trouble with the law or even worse getting in a potentially fatal driving accident.
An even better thing to do would be to catch a taxi outright if you’re all planning on drinking at some point throughout the evening.
Know Your Limits
As of 2020, the Office of National Statistics (ONS) recorded 8,974 deaths from alcohol specific causes in the UK.
This being said, the consumption of alcohol should be enjoyed but not be abused during NYE to avoid hospitalisation and getting yourself in bad situations you wouldn’t normally get yourself in whilst sober such as trespassing or violence.
If you are drinking alcohol more than usual, a good tip is to drink water regularly in between alcohol – this helps elevate the more severe effects of alcohol, as well as the added bonus of combating nasty hangovers the next morning.
Also be sure to avoid excessive consumption of stronger alcohol such as spirits like rum or vodka straight, a great alternative way to enjoy these drinks is either in a tasty mixer, cocktail or even “on the rocks” with ice.
Take good care of your intoxicated friends and family when you’re out and about and they look like they’ve drunken too much. If it looks like they need to go home, they probably do – be the good friend or family member and make sure they get back safe.
Keep Your Phone Charged
If you know you’re going to be out for a long time during New Years Eve, it may be a particularly good idea to make sure your mobile phone is fully charged before leaving the house – this is important in case you need the device for emergencies such as calling 999 or other important contacts and friends in the case of an emergency.
Keeping your location on when battery allows is also a great way for loved ones and the authorities to find you in the extreme case you go missing.
A fully charged mobile also comes with the added perk of being able to photograph and video record any good memories you make on NYE.
Firework Safety
Although they can be beautiful to look at on NYE, fireworks, and the dangers they pose should be adhered to and respected.
Under NO circumstance should you operate fireworks intoxicated, if you are lighting fireworks be sure that you’re doing so in a safe, responsible manner in an open area with plenty of clearance above.
Fireworks should also be stored safely before use in a cool, dry room. Used fireworks should be submerged in cold water after use.
Trust Your Gut
One of the best pieces of advice we can give to anyone on how to stay safe on New Year’s Eve is to trust their gut instinct, if you’re uncomfortable with a certain situation or unsure about walking down a certain route to your NYE party or event, leave the area immediately to get yourself out of a potentially dangerous situation.
