Are you one of those who likes to spike the eggnog with a little brandy, rum, or whiskey? Personally, I can’t stand eggnog. But for the millions out there who drink the holiday beverage with a little kick to it, be aware that law enforcement knows you like spiking your drink and they’ll be on the road this holiday season. Not only are law enforcement agencies aware that people are drinking during the holiday season, they’re also aware that people are traveling and they’ll be looking for drunk drivers.
The California Office of Traffic Safety has habitually given hundreds of thousands, if not, millions of dollars to law enforcement agencies throughout California to combat drunk driving throughout the holiday season. Expect to see an increase in patrol cars on the roads and highways as well as an increased number of sobriety checkpoints. It is no wonder why December is considered National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month. And it is no wonder why DUI arrests spike during this time of the year.
The O.C. Register recently reported that the California Office of Traffic Safety granted Huntington Beach Police $107,500 to combat drunk driving. Wayne Howard, deputy sheriff of the Orange County Sheriff’s department and traffic bureau, said of holiday DUIs, “During the winter holiday period, in about a 17-18 day period, officers in Orange County typically arrest about 700-800 DUIs,” Howard said. “A lot of experts estimate we only get 1-2 percent of them, so when you really start looking at that number, in that 17-18 day period there’s 70,000-80,000 people driving around drunk on Orange County roadways. That’s a pretty scary number.”
Huntington Beach is just one of many cities receiving funds to up the anti-DUI efforts.
The rules for a safe holiday season remain the same:
- Get a designated driver.
- Take a cab to the holiday office party.
- Make plans to stay the night/sober up before heading home.
- If you can’t follow the aforementioned rules, don’t drink.
- Lastly, don’t put brandy, whiskey, or rum (or all of the above) in your eggnog.
On a light note, there is another reason to spike your eggnog (aside from the obvious): alcohol added to homemade eggnog will likely kill any bacteria from raw eggs used in making your eggnog. Remember, though, that you can kill the bacteria without getting drunk.
Happy holidays, everyone!
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