With holiday parties now in full swing and the New Year's holiday less than a week away, we're encouraging local motorists not to drink and drive and to use a designated driver, if necessary.

There's many reasons for us to celebrate this year, and some may choose to celebrate and have it involve alcohol.

If that's the case and you drive over to someplace to celebrate and choose to consume alcoholic beverages, we're encouraging those who do so to use a designated driver. It could possibly save you, or someone you know, a lot of money and hassle from being arrested.

More importantly, having a designated driver could save someone's life.