How to have a fun, but safe New Year’s Eve

PHOENIX — If you’re planning on partying big for New Year’s Eve, police will be watching. If you pay attention to a few little tips, you can avoid an unpleasant ride to jail in the back of a patrol car.

“Use common sense,” Phoenix Police Sgt. Tommy Thompson said .

That makes perfect sense, before you get tipsy, but for many, common sense flies right out the window after a second cocktail.

So plan ahead and buddy up.

“If you plan on drinking, one of you needs to plan on staying sober. That’s why you might be better off to take a group of individuals. There’s safety in numbers,” said Thompson.

Now, having a designated driver is a no-brainer, but he or she can pull double duty by being the designated watcher, especially if there’s any type of walking involved. The designated watcher can assist with keeping you safe and out of trouble.

Pack a “just-in-case bag.” It’s just in case you drink past your limit and actually listen to the little voice in your head that tells you that you are too drunk to drive.

“Pack light, avoid putting any valuables in your bag, like an iPad,” said Thompson.

Hand your keys off to someone upon your arrival. This will reduce the temptation of driving.

A lot of people actually believe those old-wives tales about drinking tons of black coffee or other caffeinated products to sober up. These claims are bogus according to Sgt. Thompson who’s been arresting drunks for decades.

“The body has to go through a physiological burn off period to get rid of alcohol in the system and I don’t know of any stimulant that’s going to burn it out any faster,” said Thompson. “It just takes a matter of time.”

If there’s anything that you must remember when you’re out celebrating this holiday weekend, remember this; your first DUI can cost you upwards of $20,000 and Arizona is an impairment to the slightest degree state. In very basic terms, it means prosecutors don’t need breath or blood results to charge you with a DUI.