DOVER, Del. (WBOC) - One of the best ways to start 2015 right is to get home safely from your New Years Eve celebration. New Years Eve night is one of the most dangerous to be on the roads.
Dover Downs Hotel and Casino expects hundreds of people to ring in the new year at its bar, Fire and Ice.
"It should be a great time. We have a champagne toast at midnight. It's usually a great show," said Ann Stack, director of marketing for the hotel and casino. "We encourage people to have designated drivers and to be responsible. We are also responsible in terms of our service - making sure our bartenders don't serve people who are intoxicated."
Jim Lardear, a spokesman for AAA Mid-Atlantic, says partiers need to plan ahead, have a designated driver and be prepared to take a cab.
"New Years Eve ranks as one of the deadliest holidays of the year. A lot of that has to do with people partying a little too hard and getting behind the wheel."
Lardear says in 2014 there were 124 car crash deaths in Delaware. Almost half involved alcohol. The national average is less than a third.
Delaware State Police data from the past five years shows when it comes to holidays the days surrounding Memorial Day and July Fourth have the most crashes and injuries. But a spokesman for DSP says the single night of new years eve is still very dangerous.
"Just be aware other drivers might not be as safe as you. There may be impaired drivers on the road," he said. "If you see someone who is driving erratically, give them plenty of space. Have your passenger call 911. But the most important thing is you be the safest driver you can be, knowing the other drivers around you may not be."
There are lots of great apps to help you get a cab if you need one. In fact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration just released an incredibly simple app that can find you a taxi and help that taxi find you.
You may have heard a lot about Uber in the lead up to New Years. But remember anybody offering an Uber ride starting from a Delaware location is doing so unregulated. That is a no-no under state code.
