Being Safe during your New Year's Eve celebration doesn't mean you can't have fun it just means be safe while doing it. You can choose to go out to one of the hotels and clubs for a big party or you could have an intimate party at home but no matter what you choose we hope you take some safety precautions in hopes you and your family have a safe and happy celebration.

The no. 1 thing to remember is don't drink and drive. Assign a designated driver, hire a limo, or take a cab.

If you do drink there are a couple of different options for a free ride home. You can call Tipsy Tow service they are offering a driver and one passenger a free ride home, along with a free tow for your car for up to 10 miles. It is the American Automobile Association's way of trying to prevent alcohol-related traffic deaths. Their phone number is 800-AAA-HELP. Or you can call First Mate Fund at 877-456-7433 for a ride home in your vehicle offered by Captain Morgan. (These rides must originate in Scottsdale and you must be 21 years of age)

While many of us are careful about driving after imbibing, all too often we forget that it is equally important, not to get into a car if the driver has been drinking. The Highway Patrol will be out in full force with road stops so play it safe. Take the new signs they put up on the Phoenix freeways that say "Get Hammered, Get Nailed," seriously because they really mean it this year. Getting a DWI can cost over twenty thousand dollars on top of the possible fatal injuries you could cause someone else or yourself.

Never leave a party with someone you don't know. It is better to go out with a group of friends rather than go out alone. Try to stay off the roads between midnight and 2 a.m. because those are the hours when most car accidents occur on New Year's Eve.

Watch your food or alcohol at parties where there are more strangers than friends. Don't leave them unattended, it is too easy for someone to slip something into your drink or food when you are not looking. Also don't take a drink from a stranger unless you see that it is coming directly from the bartender or waitress.

Sometimes you don't purposely over drink but it is easy to get caught up in the fun and not realize how much you have had to drink .. Intoxicated individuals are not able to accurately assess their level of intoxication. Know your limits before you party and stick to them. http://www.healthy.net/scr/HealthHint.aspx?Id=200

Some folks choose to ring in the New Year by shooting firearms in the air. Stray bullets are extremely dangerous and the police department will arrest anyone who is caught discharging a firearm. Children are very curious and should not be around firearms and adults who have been drinking alcohol.

Fireworks are illegal and you can be seriously injured so go to a planned event that has a beautiful show that you can watch free from harm.

If you are staying home with friends and family there are still some things to do to assure the safety of your family, friends and pets. Children and pets often times get overlooked so make sure that the alcoholic beverages are up and think of also making a non-alcoholic punch. You can have different colored punches so that you easily tell which has alcohol and which does not. Another way is to have specific cup color for drinks with alcohol if you have young children or teens.

Glass bottles can also spoil a party with an injury, so if possible try to keep all empty bottles in a designated receptacle to minimize danger.

Make sure your decorations are not close to any open flames. Paper decorations and aerosol streamers are highly flammable. If you have smokers at your party try to have a designated area away from flammable party decorations.

If you have noise makers with bells or whistles or metal bean shakers please be aware that if they are dropped they can become a danger if someone trips or falls on them or if a child or pet ingests them.

Sometimes guests at parties go in and out leaving doors open which may let your small children or pets out to get lost. Because this is a confusing time with all the unfamiliar noise, amount of people, party decorations and alcohol it may be wise to get a babysitter or take your animals to a safe place for the night.

Kinerk, Schmidt & Sethi PLLC, can certainly not foresee every possible harmful situation that you could have on New Year's Eve but it is our hope that you do take some of these precautions so that you can keep yourself , friends, families, and pets all as safe as possible.