It’s that time again — 2024 is coming to a close, meaning it is now time to usher in 2025. It’s a period when many people make their resolutions for the coming year and RSVP to parties that mark the start of a new beginning.
This is the perfect time to consider physical security a top-of-mind concern.
Whether prioritizing ways to stay safe during end-of-year festivities or making a list of how to better center security protocols in one’s resolutions, personal safety should be front and center as 2025 kicks off the ground.
Practical ways to stay safe during New Year’s parties
New Year’s Eve is often a fun, but fraught, night every year.
As alcohol flows freely and people hop from party to party, physical safety concerns escalate. In fact, both New Year’s Eve and the first day of the year see 13% more fatal car crashes than equivalent periods of time in the preceding four weeks annually, according to WJTV. They report that fatal car crashes that occur over the course of the night shoot up an astoundingly high 136% during this New Year’s period. The news station adds that more than 40% of these car crashes involve alcohol consumption.
It should be clear that one should avoid driving on New Year’s Eve. Consider rideshare alternatives like Uber or contacting a cab company or shuttle service if leaving an organized event. If one is drinking, don’t drive. Instead, travel with a sober companion who can serve as a designated driver.
Concentric offers a few tried-and-true recommendations. One should always have a game plan for arriving and departing a New Year’s Eve party safely. Not only does this involve keeping safe driving practices in mind, but always having a charged phone on hand. If there is an emergency, it’s important to have a phone completely charged in case one needs to contact the police, emergency resources, or hail a ride.
Be vigilant when it comes to New Year’s-specific threats
If one is going to travel to a New Year’s Eve party, avoid leaving the car unattended overnight. Other than Halloween, New Year’s Eve is the day that sees the most car thefts, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
Concentric adds that New Year’s marks a time when criminals and bad actors are particularly vigilant about their targets’ behaviors. Always practice caution when posting on social media during this season.
“Be careful with what you share on social media. Criminals may watch your social media to identify your purchases and travel plans,” Concentric reports.
There is one particularly insidious case in which armed robbers infiltrated a home in Los Angeles during a holiday party, stealing valuables like jewelry and phones from attendees, according to the Los Angeles Times.
While it might feel like the perfect time to engage in online social media promotion, this might not be the best moment to post geotags and exact locations. For those who will be traveling during the New Year’s season, consider installing home alarms and security cameras in case bad actors have been scoping out homes they believe will be empty and vulnerable to attack.
This should be a period of fun and positivity as one chapter closes and a new one begins. While it’s important to let off some steam and cut loose, try to be practical about the need to make personal and physical security a priority.
Peter Cavicchia II 