To Every American Who Decides to Drink on New Years Eve,

I saw my schedule for work for this week and I like so many other people in the health care field will be working New Years Eve. I won't be partying let alone drinking, I will be taking care of people who can no longer take care of themselves. I will be the hand they hold, person they say good night to and the person they perform their nightly rituals with like many other health care professionals. I love my job, what I don't love is the fact I cringed when I saw I was working New Years where there will be people who decide carelessly drink think they can drive. If you decide to drink, do not reach for the keys. Spend the night at the persons house, call Uber, or Lyft or a family member or friend who is sober to come get you. I don't care if you are 16 and aren't supposed to be drinking, call your parents. My mom and dad always told me "We don't want you drinking, and we especially don't want you drinking and driving. If you decide to be foolish enough to drink, don't be foolish enough to drive call us." According to drivingschool.net between December 31st and Janurary 1st over a 12 hour period the number of accidents rises 71% due to drug and alcohol use. There is no excuse to get behind the wheel while intoxicated. I can assure you, the Bud Lite is not worth your life or anyone else's life. For those who are driving from working with people whose lives they might have had to save that night ,don't allow them to be the ones to see you crash into a tree, or crash into another car due to swerving. Granted I'd be the first to jump out of my car if I saw an accident and start performing CPR as that is what my promise is to anyone as I am part of the medical field. There are ways to have fun and be smart. For Smartphones Apple and Andorid there is the Lyft and Uber app that is free. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has created a listing of sober/safe ride programs across the country which can be found on the AAA website. In Michigan Kalamazoo has a drive safe program. A piece of advice I can give is to not drink with those you don't feel comfortable spending the night on their couch. If you don't feel comfortable sleeping on their couch or floor you aren't comfortable with the person. I vowed when I turned 18 if I were to ever drink iI would do it with people I'm comfortable with. Please be smart, don't let the alcohol dictate where you spend the night the three options possible are home, a jail cell or a morgue. Make the decision wisely, choose your own bed. Not the bed of a casket or the cot on a jail cell floor.

From,

A Fellow American Who Loves Holidays As Much As You