New Year’s Eve is a night to have fun and celebrate the coming year, but revelers need to remember that CCSO has a zero-tolerance policy toward drinking and driving.
Deputies will be out in force Thursday night watching for impaired drivers. They’ll be walking restaurant districts and driving Collier County roads, making sure everyone gets home safely.
As in previous years, deputies will be putting an extra focus on areas where they’ve seen impaired drivers in the past. They’ll also be monitoring teen gathering places making sure no underage drinking is going on.
Deputies also will continue to maintain a very visible presence all night long on New Year’s Eve. Typically, deputies make no more DUI arrests on New Year’s Eve than any other night in Collier County due to this high profile.
“People know we’re out there,” said Lt. Harold Minch of CCSO’s Safety Traffic Enforcement Bureau.
CCSO offers these tips for a safe celebration:
* Use a designated driver, or call a cab if you plan to attend a celebration and drink alcohol.
* If you are hosting a party make sure to provide plenty of non-alcoholic drink options.
* Remember that even if you don’t feel “drunk” the next morning, your driving may still be impaired, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
* Report any drunken or impaired drivers by calling 911.
