SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) — With it being New Year's Eve many will be taking in the celebrations, those who drink and drive on New Year's Eve run a greater risk of being arrested.

San Angelo Police Chief Travis Griffith said it is okay to drink, just do it responsibly.

"Consuming alcohol, it's important to remember moderation is always the best," said Griffith. "Overindulging can lead to meeting one of our officers, we don't want that."

Griffith suggests using a rideshare, a taxi, or even calling a friend or family member to get home.

"Maybe you're one of those individuals that likes to take care of your friends and family, that's great," he said. "The more designated drivers we have, the better."

It's also a good idea to watch for pedestrians and think about what other drivers are doing, and to be that defensive driver, according to Griffith.

For those who want to celebrate with alcohol and opt for another way to travel, such as walking or a bicycle Griffith has some advice.

"Obviously better than drinking and driving but even in those cases, it's better to be with somebody, or use a taxi or something like that," he said. "Because, you know, walking whenever you're inebriated, you could fall over in public."

He encourages you to have someone be there with you, or call somebody - Anything to avoid going from point A to B and end up hurt, or worse.

Griffith said New Year's Eve is a time to celebrate not a time to spend in jail.

"It's better to spend that money on that than it is to spend it on bond or an attorney," he said. "So, we would just encourage that aspect of it, because we're all about preventing the crime.

"We would much rather not arrest people, and so if we can get somebody get home safely then we've done our job. "

According to TxDOT, one in four traffic deaths across the state is caused by drunk drivers, and that ratio increases to 28% during the holiday period.

News Source : https://www.conchovalleyhomepage.com/news/local-news/san-angelo-police-urge-revelers-to-drink-responsibly-on-new-years-eve/