New Year’s Eve 2022-23 in McHenry will only come around once. At the stroke of midnight, 2022 will pass into the rearview mirror and 2023 will stretch out ahead like a road fade into the dark. 

This is cause for celebration. It’s a celebration of the year behind and hope for the year ahead. Certainly, we all hope that 2023 will prove to be a great year. Most of us will agree that the potential for improvement over the year behind is evident. But we don’t want to get the year off on the wrong foot.

What could be worse than starting 2023 with a DUI? Answer, starting 2023 with an injury or fatal accident.

These are real considerations when celebrating the New Year. And most of us imbibe on New Year’s Eve. It’s a traditional way to celebrate New Year’s Eve.

Another tradition of New Year’s Eve is a heavy police presence on the roads that night. The police know people are drinking on New Year’s Eve. They know that drinking and driving are a bad combination. They know that if people know the police are out in force, it will discourage those who drink and then decide to drive.

This suggests that a little forethought is appropriate before you head out to celebrate New Year’s Eve. How will you get where you’re going, and then get home, without risking an alcohol influenced traffic accident and/or accident?

The options to avoid a problem on the roads New Year’s Eve are fairly straight forward:

Stay put on New Year’s Eve. This doesn’t mean you have to stay home. But, when you go somewhere to celebrate arrange to stay there after you’ve drank. If you’re going to a friend’s house, ask if they have a guest room where you can crash (safely) in bed that night. Or, if you’re going to club somewhere, check to find a hotel within walking distance. Get a room and come back home when the effects of the alcohol have passed.

Have a designated driver. Is there someone in your group that doesn’t drink? Will they volunteer to drive folks to and from the festivities? Or, is there someone willing to forego drinking on this special night?

Hire a cab, Lyft or Uber. Keep in mind, they’re liable to be busy this night. Bring a little patience to the party and you’ll do well.

Better yet, hire a limo. You can go in style and you will have arranged your ride ahead of time. If it’s a dedicated limo – dedicated to taking you and your party to and from the celebration, you won’t even have to wait to go back home. And you’ll be going in style.

Have a safe and wonderful New Year’s Eve celebration. And start the year in McHenry on the right foot.