It’s holiday party season. Whether you’re an employer hosting your employees for a year-end celebration or are having friends and families over to ring in the New Year, as host, you’re responsible for your guests’ safety. If one (or more) of your guests overindulge and somebody gets hurt, you can be held legally responsible. As experienced Philadelphia DUI lawyers, we are all too aware that drunk driving incidents and arrests go up around the holidays, and especially around New Years’ Eve. Hosts who either overserve guests or who allow guests to overindulge (even if they’ve brought their own alcohol) can be held responsible for damage that their guests cause, and for injuries that their guests sustain themselves. Fortunately, there are many steps you can take to protect yourself and make sure that your guests are safe, both for themselves and for others.
The first issue that you need to address is about overserving. Assuming that your guests are adults, it can be difficult to monitor their alcohol intake or to tell people that they’re not allowed to drink more than a certain amount. Even at company parties where drink tickets are issued in an attempt to limit drinking, there is always the risk that people who aren’t drinking will give their tickets to those who are. Because of this challenge, it is generally a good idea to have a professional bartender serving alcohol: this not only keeps people from pouring for themselves but also gives you a set of experienced eyes who can monitor how much a guest has consumed, and when somebody is intoxicated.
If you make arrangements for designated drivers and alternative transportation, you not only help your guests avoid needing a DUI lawyer if they’re pulled over, but also may prevent a tragic accident from taking place. Ask for everybody’s keys when they enter your home and do not give them back unless you are certain that people are sober and safe to drive. It’s a good idea to have a taxi company’s number handy or to take advantage of one of the many ridesharing services such as Uber or Lyft. Of course, it’s also a good idea to make sure that you have plenty of pillows and blankets handy along with extra toothbrushes – sometimes the best answer is to invite your guests to spend the night and sleep it off. Being a good host means more than setting the table and opening the door. Make sure you take all the right steps to prevent your guests from needing a DUI lawyer or causing harm. If someone you love is accused of driving under the influence, contact the professionals at Jensen Bagnato for experienced legal representation.
