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The turn of the year is a moment of fresh starts, of toasts and fireworks, of music and laughter ringing into the early hours. In Lewistown and across our region, we look forward to celebrating with the people we care about.
But part of welcoming a new year must be the choice to enter it responsibly. Too many families in Pennsylvania and across the country feel the ripple effects of poor decisions on New Year's Eve. Too many roads are scarred by collisions involving impaired drivers. Too many small towns mourn neighbors taken in crashes that could have been prevented.
Lewistown will again host the popular Hartley's Potato Chip Drop on New Year's Eve in Monument Square, a hometown tradition that brings families downtown to count down together. The event has become a lighthearted centerpiece for local celebrations, a reminder that joy and responsibility can go hand in hand. It's a chance to ring in the year surrounded by neighbors, not on the road, and to share laughter instead of risk.
When we think about bringing in January, what matters is not only the confetti and cheers, but the state of the people who wake up the next morning. How many will be safe at home? How many will have stories to tell rather than tragedies to remember? National and state safety advocates consistently point to New Year's Eve as one of the deadliest nights for impaired driving.
Law enforcement agencies increase patrols during the holiday because of the predictable rise in alcohol consumption and the risk that some drivers will get behind the wheel when they should not. These risks fall unevenly on rural communities like ours, where long stretches of highway are part of daily life and where emergency response times can be longer than in big cities.
If you plan to drink, plan your ride. It is not a moral lecture to suggest that a sober ride home is a wise choice. It is a plain fact of safety. Local taxi services, ride-share options when available, designated drivers, and staying in place until sober are all realistic ways to protect yourself and others. Look out for your friends and neighbors.
In practical terms, that means watching out for the person who thinks they are OK to drive and gently steering them to a safer option. It means choosing a sober driver before you start drinking. It means delaying gratification for the sake of health and life. If you ring in the year with happy voices around you, make sure the voices are still happy the next morning.
The transition from one year to the next should be a marker of hope, not heartbreak. Choose ways to celebrate that keep you and those around you alive and well. Plan ahead. Look out for one another. Let this year begin with purpose and responsibility so that the days that follow are full of stories worth telling.
Happy New Year!