Everyone loves New Year’s Eve. People think of it as a way to start over and forget all the bad things that have happened or that have been done the previous year. It feels like a fresh start and an opportunity to change our ways. (New Year’s Resolutions).

Now don’t get me wrong,  New Year’s is a great holiday and potentially at time to have a lot of fun, but research indicates that it’s the second most deadly day for drivers. It is the night when so many people go out to drink and party.

A few years back, my mom, Natasha Graham went to a club on Year’s Eve expecting to have a whole lot of fun, then go home around 3:00 am to get some sleep. Well that is not how her night went.

When she first got to her party, she was having a great time, just like  everyone else. But in a split-second all that changed. People began arguing and in no time, things got  out of hand. There were gun shots and people running. My mom managed to get outside, but then she felt something hit her arm and she fell to the ground.

She had been shot.

My mother’s friends had all left her. She was stuck in a ditch and bleeding. The craziest thing happened though. A girl who didn’t necessarily like my mother called an ambulance and sat with her until it arrived.

My mom ended up having surgery on her elbow, but she lived.

I tell this story to demonstrate that no matter how much fun you are having, something bad can always happen. You should always try to be as safe as possible.  Here are some good rules to follow.

Number 1: always be with a group of people. Criminals prey on unaccompanied victims.

Number 2: be cautious when you’re out driving. Statistics show that 1 in 7 headlights after 10 o’clock have someone behind the wheel who has been drinking. The number is even greater on NYE.

Number 3: make sure your car doors are locked. NYE is the second-most active holiday for car theft.

Number 4: don’t drink alcohol. As high school students, we are not old enough.

Number 5: never leave any type of drink unattended. Too many people will see that as an invitation to do harm.

Number 6: be aware of your surroundings.

Number 7: make sure your family knows where you are at all times.

Number 8: never leave a drink unattended.

Number 9: stay in once you’ve gotten to your destination. The roads are not safe after midnight.

Following these few, simple rules could help keep you safe on New Year’s Eve, but always remember my mother’s story… There is no guarantee.