Central New York Injury Lawyer Blog
How about this for a New Year’s resolution: “I’ll practice common sense safety rules to protect myself and my family from harm this year”. Pretty good one. And probably a lot easier to keep than the standard resolution of “I’ll go to the gym religiously and lose 20 pounds”.
You can take a first step toward fulfillment of this safety resolution by starting the New Year out right. Follow these safety tips from this Central New York Injury Lawyer:
If you are HOSTING A PARTY on New Year’s Eve, protect your guests (and yourself from liability) by doing the following:
• SHOVEL AND SALT all areas of your driveways and walkways where people might walk. People who are intoxicated are more likely to suffer slip and fall injuries.
• COLLECT YOUR GUESTS’ CAR KEYS (perhaps in a bowl) and only hand them back to a designated driver who has had nothing to drink. You might also have some kids home from college who want to make a few extra bucks by acting as “professional designated drivers”. They could simply taxi the guests home. Remember, under New York’s Dram Shop Act you can be held liable if guests who got intoxicated at your party end up causing a car accident.
• THINK TWICE ABOUT CANDLES, FIREPLACES AND OTHER SOURCES OF FIRE: Fire and alcohol don’t mix well. Many of your guests will be drinking more heavily than usual. Do you really want to expose them, and you, to the risks of candles and other fire sources coupled with alcohol-induced clumsiness? Consider battery-operated candles instead. Keep fireplace fires encased in safety screens at all times.
If you are GOING OUT on New Year’s Eve, follow these safety tips:
• DRIVE MORE DEFENSIVELY THAN USUAL. There are more drunks on the road than at any other time of year. Don’t assume others are going to stop at stop signs or red lights. Assume they are all crazy drunk and drive accordingly!
• DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE. Don’t YOU drive after drinking. Don’t drink ANYTHING if you are driving on New Year’s Eve. The cops will be out in droves looking for an excuse to pull you over and test your sobriety. There is a big national push to crack down on drunk driving this holiday season, as I explained in a prior blog post. Either don’t drink, or assign a designated driver, or travel by cab, or plan to sleep over, or arrange for a limo with friend, or — well, you get the picture — do ANYTHING to avoid driving after you have drunk alcohol on New Year’s.
By following these tips, you’ll start your year out right. And maybe for once in your life you’ll even be able to keep a New Year’s resolution — that one I suggested earlier — the one about practicing common sense safety rules all year long.
Here’s wishing all my readers and their families a safe and prosperous 2010!