How hosts can avoid alcohol-related incidents

Hosting a party for friends, family and/or professional colleagues can be a big responsibility. Many of the tasks associated with hosting are fun, and people who enjoy entertaining may even enjoy the less-thrilling tasks that must be tackled before welcoming guests into their homes. Hosts who intend to serve alcohol at their parties must give ample attention to safety in advance of their guests’ arrival. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that more than 10,000 people died in alcohol-impaired driving crashes in the United States in 2015, accounting for nearly one-third of all traffic-related deaths in the country that year. Hosts must avoid overserving alcohol, as that can put the lives of guests and people they share the road with in jeopardy. In addition, hosts might be found liable should anyone be injured or killed by guests who drank too much at their parties.

Curtailing consumption

Hosts who intend to serve alcohol at their parties can curtail consumption in various ways. Choose to host a party in early afternoon, ending it by late in the afternoon or early in the evening. Adults are unlikely to consume substantial amounts of alcohol during the day, and many may avoid alcohol altogther. Another way to reduce imbibing is to avoid buying too much alcohol. Overstocking a bar or refrigerator may encourage guests to overindulge or give them the mistaken impression that the alcohol will be free-flowing throughout the party. When purchasing alcohol for the party, hosts should keep in mind that some guests will likely bring alcohol as a gift, and that should affect how much alcohol hosts buy in advance of the party. Preparing or ordering more food than might be necessary also can curtail alcohol consumption. Guests who have plenty to eat might spend more time eating than drinking, and eating one’s fill may discourage alcohol consumption because of feeling too full.

Transportation

Hosts can make transportation arrangements for guests to reduce the risk of alcohol-related incidents after their parties. When spreading news of the party, hosts can ask for guests to volunteer as designated drivers while also informing their guests they intend to serve as designated drivers as well. Make sure each group of people who arrives together has at least one designated driver among them. Hosts who want to go the extra mile can reward their designated drivers with a small gift to serve as a token of their appreciation for abstaining from alcohol during the party. In addition to arranging for designated drivers, hosts can reserve taxis or ridesharing services to pick up guests after the party. Inform guests about this in advance so they do not drive to the party. Many people enjoy hosting parties for friends, family and/or colleagues at their homes. But hosts must make concerted efforts to ensure their guests do not overindulge in alcohol.