A lot of planning and coordination goes into family and friend get-togethers, maybe even more so when the get-togethers revolve around holidays, such as Labor Day. When planning, hosts usually consider the important five “Ws” – who, what, when, where, and why.

• Who will be invited?
• What will be served – food and beverages?
• When will the get-together take place?
• Where will the get-together take place?
• Why get-together?

These five “Ws” are all important, but party planners need to take special care when considering the “What?” Selecting the food and beverages for their get-togethers can mean the difference between a happy celebration and a tragedy. Beverage selection is one of the most important decisions. Will beer, wine, and/or alcohol be served? If so, hosts need to plan responsibly.

Labor Day, according to the National Safety Council, is one of the deadliest holidays, second only to the Fourth of July.

The Insurance Information Institute (III) says that, based on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data, there was an alcohol-impaired traffic fatality every 50 minutes in 2016. These accidents are those which involved at least one driver, or a motorcycle operator, with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08 percent or above. Alcohol-impaired crash fatalities accounted for 28 percent of all crash fatalities in 2016.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) reminds all of us that “drunk driving comes with a cost, and it is one that robs us of mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, spouses, and friends.”

When planning your Labor Day get-together, MADD recommends the following:

• As guests RSVP, confirm that they have a plan for a safe way home via a non-drinking designated driver, such as a friend or rideshare service, i.e. Uber or a taxi.
• Plan activities like party games or door prizes that do not involve alcohol.
• Do not push alcoholic drinks! Drinking at a party is not required to have a good time.
• Provide plenty of food to keep your guests from drinking on an empty stomach. Avoid too many salty snacks, which tend to make people thirsty and drink more.
• Make “mocktails” and other non-alcoholic beverages fun for non-drinking designated drivers and others who prefer to not drink alcohol.
• Never serve alcohol to anyone under 21, and never ask anyone under 21 to serve alcohol at parties.
• Remember, only time sobers a person up, which means you may need to offer your sofa or guest room to guests who need to stay put.
• As the party host, have fun, but not too much fun. Stay within your limits to make sure your guests stay within theirs.

“We at Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. wish everyone a safe and fun Labor Day weekend. Please do not drink and drive or allow your friends and family to drink and drive. The memories of this holiday weekend should be good ones to last forever, not tragedies which affect everyone,” said Fort Myers DUI Attorney, Randall Spivey.

Hurt By Drunk Driver Attorney, Randall L. Spivey is a Board Certified Trial Attorney – the highest recognition for competence bestowed by the Florida Bar and a distinction earned by just one (1%) percent of Florida attorneys.  He has handled over 2,000 personal injury and wrongful death cases throughout Florida.  For a free and confidential consultation to discuss your legal rights, contact the Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A., in Lee County at 239.337.7483 or toll free at 1.888.477.4839,or by email to Randall@SpiveyLaw.com.  Visit SpiveyLaw.com for more information.  You can contact Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A.in Charlotte County at 941.764.7748 and in Collier County 239.793.7748.