Keeping safe this Christmas (From Croydon Guardian)

Keeping safe this Christmas

3:07pm Wednesday 20th December 2006 in News

Christmas and New Year's Eve go hand-in-hand with over-indulgence, drunken antics and booze-fuelled office parties. But embarrassing yourself in front of the boss is not the only thing that can put a dampener on celebrations.

Drink-spiking, unlicensed mini-cabs and driving while under the influence of alcohol are all dangers revellers should take care to avoid.

Simple methods can be employed to stop drinks being spiked with drugs and the good news is they do not have to spoil your night.

For example, never leave your drink unattended and do not accept drinks from strangers, no matter how tempting. Following these simple rules can radically narrow your chances of having your drink tampered with.

To warn party-goers about the dangers of drink-spiking, posters have been displayed across south London boroughs in pubs, clubs, taxis, and public transport.

The posters are supported by The Roofie Foundation, Britain's only specialised agency dealing with the issues surrounding drug rape and sexual abuse.

Sticking with a group of friends during a night out can also help avoid drink-spiking and lessen the dangers associated with getting home.

Unlicensed minicabs roam the streets at this time of year, with drivers looking for easy money or, in serious cases, easy prey.

Black taxi cabs may be more expensive but they are regarded as being a lot safer. If you do not want to fork out for a black cab, mobile phone users can text the word home' to 60835. You will receive a text message containing a list of local licensed minicab firms. The service costs 35 pence plus your operator's standard rate for every text.

Pre-booking a taxi from a well-known firm and ensuring the driver knows which name the car is booked under is another means of reducing any risk.

Some south London boroughs, including Croydon and Kingston, have taxi marshall schemes for the festive season. Marshalls wearing distinctive, high-visibility clothing guide revellers to safe cabs and operate in well-lit areas which are monitored by CCTV.

Reaching for your car keys may seem like an easy option, especially if you don't fancy returning to collect your car with a hangover the next day.

But it is well-known that alcohol can lead to you over-estimating your abilities and with an average of 3,000 people killed or seriously injured each year in drink/drive collisions, it is not worth the risk.

If you think you won't get caught, think again. More than half a million breath tests are carried out each year and on average 100,000 are found to be positive - so watch those Christmas cakes laced with spirits.

As for New Year's Eve, why not avoid a risky walk home and take advantage of free travel on the Tube, buses, DLR and trams courtesy of Transport for London and Natwest?

To find out about how you can get home on New Year's Eve log on to tfl.gov.uk.