Like every holiday in 2020, New Year’s Eve will likely look a little different this year. No matter how you choose to celebrate, do it with safety in mind — yours, your family’s, and the people around you.
Here are a few things to keep in mind.
Social Distancing
The safest thing you can do to celebrate the New Year is to do it from a distance. Even with news about upcoming vaccines and the very real fatigue of social distancing, crowds of maskless people present a very real risk, both to your own health and to the people you may encounter later.
A New Year’s celebration at home with your household can be a lot of fun. You can still light sparklers, countdown to midnight, and enjoy a kiss or a toast to ring in the new year with the people you already live with. If being with family and friends is important to you, have a countdown party over Zoom. But if you attend (or plan) an in-person party, keep it outside and limit the number of people invited.
Drinking and Driving
We all know we shouldn’t do it, but after one too many drinks, anyone can convince themselves that they’re “fine” to drive. You most certainly are not fine and could cause a serious accident. Law enforcement officers know that New Year’s Eve is one of the biggest nights for driving under the influence. It’s likely they’ll have checkpoints in many places and officers on the highway. That’s the legal danger you put yourself in, not to mention the danger of hurting yourself or others on the road.
The easy thing is to not drink and drive, but many people want to ring in the New Year with a drink or two. Make plans now for how you’ll have a few drinks and stay safe. The best option is to drink at home. If you’re at a friend or family member’s home, make plans to stay there for the night. If you need to go home after the party, use a ride share service to arrive so you know you need to call them again to get home.
Serving Alcohol
While New Year’s Eve parties should look a lot different this year, there are still things to consider if you invite people over and serve alcohol. You take on extra responsibility and potential liability when you do — known as social host liability. Here’s what you need to know to keep yourself and everyone else safe.
- Limit the amount of alcohol you serve. Make sure to offer non-alcoholic alternatives.
- Be willing to cut someone off if they’ve had too much — and to take their keys and call an Uber for them, or let them sleep on your couch.
- Do not serve alcohol to anyone under the age of 21. If you can’t properly monitor the age of attendees or who’s served alcohol, reconsider your invite list or whether alcohol should be served at all.
- Talk to your insurance agent about your liability coverage. Make sure you have enough in case of accidents that result from party-goers who drank at your New Year’s Eve party.
The safest way to ring in 2021 is to celebrate at home with your immediate household. For those who make different plans, be mindful of how much you drink, choose a designated driver before you go out, and plan your gatherings very carefully. Doing so will make the start of the New Year a safer one.
Have questions about your liability coverage? Contact Charlotte Insurance today! We can walk you through your coverage or provide a free estimate for a new policy.