The weather is finally changing, and football games and holiday parties are here. Tailgating and partying with friends are fun ways to bring the fourth quarter of the year to a close and look ahead to the New Year. This is the time to seriously consider your choices at parties and how they will affect your driving. If you are one to enjoy a few drinks at these gatherings, then you need to choose a designated driver before you start enjoying yourself. Consider these three options for selecting the right designated driver for you. 

There are plenty of reasons not to drink and drive (especially on New Year’s Eve)

You may not need to be reminded why drinking and driving is a poor choice. Still, it’s good to remember those reasons before you agree to have that one extra drink before leaving. 

The Law Firm of Pajcic & Pajcic offers nine compelling reasons to stay home or get a designated driver. 

• You could go to jail 
• Your insurance premiums could increase
• You could lose your job or professional license
• You could be charged significant fines
• You could get in an auto accident
• You could get a criminal record
• You could cause major property damage
• You could injure a pedestrian
• You set a bad example

Since you don’t want to experience any of the mentioned consequences, make a plan and get a designated driver using one of the following ways. 

1. Call an Uber or Lyft 

Ride-sharing, like Uber or Lyft, has become a popular choice for providing designated driving. Using either option is as easy as pulling up an app on your or a friend’s phone and requesting a driver to come to pick you up and drive you home or whatever destination you choose. 

Mothers Against Drunk Driving reports, “A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found the number of motor vehicle crash traumas decreased by 38.9% thanks to rideshares, confirming what MADD has believed for years-that rideshare apps offer a convenient transportation option that helps reduce the risk of drink driving crashes.”

2. Hail a cab 

Living in a city can make finding a designated driver a lot easier. Taxis, or cabs, are generally much more accessible, and it can be as simple as hailing one from the sidewalk, according to Erie Insurance. You can hail a cab with a few friends and split the price of the ride to make it more affordable. 

Living in the city can also make other forms of public transportation available. If you can’t hail a cab or request a rideshare and it is safe to do so, you could also use buses, subways, or other forms of rail systems to get home safely.

It may not be convenient at the moment but using any of these services is much more convenient in the long run than driving while intoxicated. 

3. Ask a friend or family

The best option for everyone is to choose a designated driver before leaving for the gathering. This person decides to refrain from alcohol for the entirety of the party to provide a safe ride home for those who choose to drink.

While it is the responsible thing to do, and you could be saving lives, being the designated driver can be a drag. Your designated driver is making sacrifices so that you can have a lot of fun. So, you need to respect your driver’s boundaries well. 

The Roberts Law Team offers a few tips to help you and your designated driver. One, pick your designated driver as far ahead of the event as possible. This way, everyone knows their role when well beforehand. Two, if you go out with a certain group of friends on a regular basis, rotate who will be the designated driver. Take turns so everyone is fairly treated. Third, choose multiple designated drivers if you are in a large group. You don’t want one person having to carry this responsibility for a large group. Split up the work.