By Michael Glenn
Captain Dayton Gates with the Hutchinson Police Department advised those planning on celebrating the beginning of 2025 to have a Plan A and Plan B for arriving home safe Monday afternoon in an interview with The Hutchinson Tribune.
New Year’s Eve is a holiday commonly celebrated with alcohol use which can lead to impaired drivers on the roadway. Gates said to always drive sober and to be mindful of others on the road, even if the driver hasn’t consumed any intoxicating substances.
“We encourage everyone to find obviously a designated driver, but everybody needs to be safe when they’re driving, being responsible and just be aware of your surroundings,” Gates said. “What I mean by that is even though you hadn’t been drinking anything, it doesn’t mean the person that’s driving across the intersection hasn’t been.”
Gates said if a person plans on drinking alcohol, they should find a designated driver to ensure they arrive home safely. Even walking home while intoxicated poses its own risks.
“Sometimes that’s just as dangerous because again, you’re not thinking straight, you’re impaired to some degree, you may not be paying attention when you’re crossing the roadway, so it’s always good to have that plan B in place to have someone just come, you stay where you are and have someone come pick you up,” Gates said. “That’s going to be the safest bet.”
