All of December is more or less Party Time, and the gaiety ends Tuesday morning when people gather for black-eyed peas, a bite of codfish, and perhaps, if the night before was just too much, some hair of the dog that bit them.

New Year’s Eve parties combine long parties, much drinking, and people who are already tired from being up all day and probably working. You may be fine when you leave the party, but never assume the driver of the car coming toward you is fine. Drive defensively.

Nothing is worse than to learn the next morning of a life wiped out by a drunk driver. It happens much too often and is completely preventable.

When you leave for your party, if you intend to drink alcoholic beverages, have a backup plan—to stay over or to use a designated driver. Let’s get through the New Year safely and welcome 2019 unshaken by bad news. ...