Drinking in the New Year

By Ben Ajayi

With the end of the year approaching, many of our calendars will be filled with holiday festivities, including ugly sweaters, food, gatherings, and adult beverages. Like many legal aged-adults, we couldn’t bare being at one of these events without something strong to sip on. Could you imagine being around that overly talkative co-worker or that mother-in-law you can’t stand without a drink? Absolutely not! Now, I’m a fan of everybody having a good time during the holiday season, but some of you, you know who you are, get a little too excited when you have a few days outside of work and hear the words “open bar”.

Many of you may say, “a hangover for a few days is well worth a great night out.” To my under 25 crowd, yes, there will come a day when hangovers last longer than a few hours. Enjoy your youth now! Back to my point, however, if the only consequence of a fun-packed night and maybe an early morning of celebrating is just a hangover, that is a night well done. But unfortunately, too often, people leave these holiday gatherings claiming to be okay to drive when they are anything of the sort. So here are a few things to remember as you enjoy this holiday season.

Do you really want to show up to the office on January 2nd with the feeling that everybody is looking at you? Guess what? They are! Because you decided to take eight shots of tequila and smack your boss on the behind. Sounds ridiculous? What’s ridiculous is that the open bar is now banned from all holiday parties because you didn’t think the first three shots were enough.

We live in a time when catching a ride has never been easier. Between public transit, ride-share apps, and taxis, you have multiple options to get home without having to drive yourself. So that excuse you were planning to use won’t work here.

SR-22 - Financial Responsibility Insurance Certificate

To those of you who remain extremely stubborn, you can listen to my advice or be prepared to get an SR-22 certificate that we offer here at A-MAX Auto Insurance. An SR-22 is required for high-risk drivers with traffic violations (like a DUI).

Please keep in mind that an SR-22 costs more than regular insurance, which you are required to use for three years after your violation. On top of risking your life, you will be paying for your bad decisions for multiple years. So ask yourself, "is it really worth it?"

I hope you all have an amazing and safe New Years.