Avoid a DUI - Watch for Sobriety Checkpoints on New Year's in New Hampshire

New Year’s Eve is a great time to get out and celebrate the end of one year and the start to another great one. It is a time that you often go out and party with your friends and other family members, and sometimes things get a little out of hand. Because so many people choose to spend this time enjoying drinks and partying until early in the morning, New Hampshire has set up various sobriety checkpoints throughout the state. These are meant to keep everyone safe on New Year’s, but if you are caught with too much alcohol, it could be a bad ending to your day. Here are some ways to stay safe on the road and not get stopped at your New Hampshire sobriety checkpoint this year.

Have a designated driver

Before you go out, consider picking someone who can be the designated driver. This is someone who will agree to not drink when you are all out and who will make sure that everyone gets home safe. If you get stopped at one of these sobriety checkpoints, they will not have any alcohol on their breath so you won’t have an issue. If you do have a designated driver for this night, treat them right; pay for gas, make sure they have plenty of nonalcoholic beverages, and be nice. They are missing out on some of the fun to make sure you get home safely and with a clean record.

Don’t indulge too much

If you do plan to drive yourself home, don’t indulge in drinking too much. One or two drinks, well before your time of driving home is all you should enjoy. Otherwise you will get stopped and could add something to your permanent record. Don’t just assume you’ll be fine, just don’t drink at all.

Hire a taxi to go home

Sometimes you go out with the best intentions of just seeing a few people and then heading back without drinking. But then the festivities catch up to you and all of a sudden you have had too much to drink. Rather than getting stopped at one of these sobriety checkpoints and getting in trouble, consider calling in a taxi. They can get you home safely and you can go back and get a car later.

Party at a friend’s home

Consider having a party at your home or at a close friends’ home. This is a safe environment and it would be possible to spend the night, or at least a few more hours, rather than going out and driving drunk. Get a plan together beforehand. If you are throwing the party, set up a few beds and let everyone know they are more than welcome to stay the night rather than getting into a car accident while driving. This will help to keep everyone safe and no one will get stopped at a checkpoint and get into even more trouble.

Stay in town

Anytime you have too much to drink, it is best to stay where you are. If you drove into town or a bigger city to party, don’t try and drive home when you have had a few drinks. Consider reserving a hotel and staying the night there. This can be a nice little break or vacation to start the New Year and is going to prevent you from getting stopped along the way.

Sometimes accidents happen on New Year’s and you will get into trouble. Whether you were caught on a sobriety checkpoint in New Hampshire or you were in an alcohol related accident, find a competent criminal DUI attorney in New Hampshire to help you out with these legal situations.

By Joseph M. Annutto

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