Getting home safely

The key to getting home safely is planning ahead. Think about how you and your friends will get home at the start of your night out.

If you're going as a group and taking a car then decide beforehand who's going to be the designated non-drinking driver. You could all buy non-alcoholic drinks for him or her, and pay for the petrol too.

If you aren't taking a car, make sure you know how you're getting home - have phone numbers for reliable (licensed) taxi firms to hand or find out about public transport. And put aside some cash - even if it means sticking it in your shoe - so you don't spend it.

If you’re going to take a taxi home, make sure you know which taxi services are members of the New Zealand Taxi Federation and that the vehicle displays the NZTF logo. You can find out which taxi companies are registered in your area by visiting the NZTF website.

If you have to walk home, don't walk through unlit or unsafe areas and avoid walking on your own. Don't let your friends wander off by themselves either, especially if they're drunk.

And if you’re throwing a party, be a responsible host and offer to have friends stay over if they’ve had too much to drink - it’s safer for them, and you won’t have to worry about whether or not they made it home.