Dave Smith said cab drivers have labeled New Year’s Eve as “amateur night.”

“As far as alcohol is concerned, that is the night when people who never drink decide to drink more than they should,” said Smith, who has spent 20 years in the cab business.

Smith, the owner and sole-operator of Ace cab, said business is not more hectic than usual on New Year’s Eve, but he believes due to the increase in alcohol consumption, it should be.

“When I was working in Atlanta it was always the busiest night, but here it’s just like another busy Friday night at best,” Smith said.

As a cab driver, Smith said drinking and driving is not worth the potential danger or financial cost.

“Call a cab,” he said. “It’s much cheaper than a DUI. A DUI will cost you $10,000 or more in fines and fees. A $100 cab fare beats that any day.”

Wanice Odell, president of the Carroll County chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, said she learned firsthand how drinking and driving can have more than just a financial impact.

“My life was directly impacted as a result of someone drinking and driving on Jan. 25, 1990. It was getting late in the evening about 9:30 p.m. or so when I received that horrible phone call from my dad,” Odell said.

During the phone call, Odell said she learned that her sister and niece were in a car accident as a result of another driver’s intoxication.

“The next four days, my sister stayed on life support hoping to come out of a comma but she never did,” Odell said. “When my sister was pronounced dead on that Sunday morning, my family’s life was changed forever. Things would never be the same.”

In addition to the potential danger on the road, Villa Rica police Capt. Scott Parker said alcohol can affect drivers even if they are not in an accident.

“DUIs can cost someone their job, their license, it’s just not worth it,” Parker said. “One DUI can ruin someone’s life.”

According to Capt. Shane Taylor, warnings are not always enough to stop the behavior.

“Even with all the education and extra enforcement measures, people still continue to place themselves and others in danger,” Taylor said.

In an attempt to thwart drunk drivers, Taylor said the Sheriff’s Office will assign additional patrol officers to different areas in the county. “We will have an additional four units as well as the regularly scheduled patrol shifts,” Taylor said. “We are focused on making sure everybody is driving safely.”

There will also be officers stationed at check points throughout the county, according to Taylor.

“The rural areas in the county is where we will target,” Taylor said.

Georgia State troopers will also make patrol adjustments on New Year’s Eve, according to Cpl. Joey Boatright.

“For New Year’s we’ll load up a little heavier on the late shift,” Boatright said.

Though Boatright said the state patrol is already overextended as far as personnel is concerned, he said New Year’s Eve is a priority.

The Villa Rica Police Department will also employ extra units.

“We will have our traffic enforcement officers out that night as well as myself and Chief [Michael] Mansour,” Parker said.

Taylor encouraged those drinking alcohol to appoint a designated driver or call a cab and Boatright said party hosts should also take responsibility for their guests.

“Get everybody’s keys,” Boatright said. “People need to surrender their keys and get a designated driver.”

Odell said she hopes drivers will take appropriate precautions this New Year’s Eve.

“People often cannot understand why drinking and driving is such an issue until it happens to them personally,” Odell said. “When someone drinks and drives and causes someone to lose their life, then the light comes on and they see the dangers of drinking and driving. Don’t let this happen to you. This New Year’s Eve and the rest of the year, choose to make a difference on our highways. Plan ahead to protect you, your family and the lives of others by not drinking and driving.”