Police: Get a designated driver for New Years Eve - KOAM TV 7

Police: Get a designated driver for New Years Eve

With the potential for slick roads plus drunk driving police will be out in extra numbers tonight.

Law officers say plan on having a designated driver if you plan to drink and to be aware of others on the roadway, drivers and pedestrians, who might be under the influence.

They say, if you drink and drive tonight you should expect to pay the consequences.

"The one thing we are doing is increasing our roaming patrols, those would be officers assigned to vehicles and they will be out looking to enforce just the DWI laws,"says Sergeant Rusty Ryves of the Joplin Police Department.

Officers say pedestrians should also remember that vehicles may require a greater stopping distance because of the wintry road conditions.

To help those who plan to drink while ringing in the new year there are alternatives to driving.

Joplin bars and restaurants have coupons from Missouri Eagle Distributing.  Those coupons will be passed out to those who shouldn't get behind a wheel and taxi companies like AAA Taxi will then give a free cab ride home to the coupon holder.

For those traveling inside Joplin city limits the coupon allows for a free ride home but it will cost those outside city limits at a discounted rate.