The holiday season means parties and indulging. If you are planning a holiday party, you should take precautions to keep your guests and yourself safe. Here are some tips about how to host a holiday party safely and legally. If you need help from a Long Island criminal lawyer during this holiday season, please reach out to us right away to set up a consultation.
What is the Social Host Law?
When you are hosting a party for adults, you are likely budgeting for alcohol. People enjoy a champagne toast at midnight. There is likely more drinking happening before and after the ball drop. You need to have a plan to host a party that does not break the law.
The social host law essentially says that if someone gets intoxicated at a party that you are hosting and then goes off to hurt another person (in a car accident for example) you can be held responsible for this. You can be legally punished for this.
New Year’s Eve weekend is one of the most dangerous times to be on the road. A lot of people will plan ahead for a ride home, but there will always be someone who drinks too much and tries to drive. As a party host, you should make sure your guests have a safe way home. If you have to hide someone’s keys and call them a ride, do that.
You do not want to keep a knock on your door in the early hours of New Year’s Day from a police officer saying that your party guest caused a fatal car crash after leaving your home.
Keep an eye on how much people are drinking. Suggest people coordinate with designated drivers. Call Uber or Lyft for your guests. Make sure they can get home safely and legally.
Keeping Your House Free of Hazards
Another concern that you should think about is hazards in the home. If you have loose steps on your porch, get them fixed before the party or have people come in through a different door. If you have carpet that buckles, try to resolve that issue so that people do not trip over it. If there are parts of your home being worked on, close off that section of the house for the party.
Further, if you have a dog who is aggressive, consider putting them in a kennel for the party or a quiet bedroom where you can keep them locked away from guests.
You essentially want to minimize hazards in your home so that you do not have to deal with injuries and lawsuits against you.
Call Our Long Island Criminal Lawyer Today
These tips on how to host a holiday party safely are from a Long Island lawyer. If you ever need a lawyer to help you during the holiday season, please get in touch with us right away. You can call the office to get set up with a consultation as soon as possible. People make mistakes. We can help you avoid serious penalties for an honest mistake. Give us a call right away.
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