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PARKERSBURG — Law enforcement officials in West Virginia and Ohio are reminding people not to drink and drive this New Year’s Eve as they plan on being more visible throughout that evening.

Local law enforcement is planning to make the necessary preparations to patrol and ensure public safety throughout the evening.

Parkersburg Police Chief Matthew Board said people need to plan ahead based on what they are planning to do that evening.

“Try to make some arrangements to have some sort of designated driver in place prior to going out, whether it is our local cab service or a friend being a designated driver,” Board said. “We fully encourage people to do that, simply because it can remove the possibility of a tragedy.

“You can ensure you have a good 2026 and avoid a bad situation.”

Officers will be out and will be taking additional precautions as they do with any holiday. They are aware of various establishments and the roads around them as well as the main roadways people travel on through the area that could be congested in dealing with the possibility of people who might drive while intoxicated.

“On New Year’s Eve we are more vigilant towards the potential of people driving under the influence,” Board said. “We will take the necessary precautions as we always do to ensure everyone has a safe night, to the best of our ability.

“We just hope people do their part to do the rest to ensure it is a safe evening and a fun evening for everyone.”

Board recommends people who are having parties and gatherings to plan on having ways for people to get home.

“Make preparations for people who attend your event to get where they are going safely after the event,” he said.

If people appear to be too intoxicated he recommends people keep those people there and provide a ride to them so they are not out on the roads.

“Make it part of your party preparation to get people home safely,if you think that will be necessary at a get-together that you are hosting,” Board said.

With a little preparation and cooperation from local law enforcement, Board said everyone can “have a good start to 2026 with everyone being healthy and happy on New Year’s Day.”

The Ohio State Highway Patrol has been focused on impaired driving all month, said Lt. Coy Lehman, with the patrol’s Marietta post. There will be additional patrols out on New Year’s Eve.

“December’s historically one of the deadliest months on Ohio’s roads,” Lehman said.

A major factor in that is impaired drivers, Lehman said, and it’s not just alcohol that can cause problems. Troopers are trained to look for impairment from mairjuana and other drugs as well, he said.

People planning to celebrate on New Year’s Eve with alcohol should have a designated sober driver and also keep in mind the consequences of driving impaired, which can include jail time, fines and driver’s license suspension, Lehman said. However, he added those are all “minor compared to the lifelong burden of taking someone’s life.”

Wood County Sheriff Rick Woodyard said his department will have a full complement of deputies out that evening.

“We are going to be concentrating on problematic areas as well,” he said.

Woodyard is telling people to be “vigilant and aware” on New Year’s Eve.

Traditionally, they don’t see a lot of problems that night, Woodyard said, adding they have had more calls Christmas Eve.

“People are pretty prudent with what they do and guarded on what they do,” he said. “We don’t usually have a big problem on New Year’s Eve.”

They do get nuisance calls with people setting off fireworks and other kinds of trouble.

Board and Woodyard said they won’t be doing sobriety checkpoints as the West Virginia State Police usually does those.

The Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Liquor Control is reminding everyone from partygoers to event hosts to those keeping it low key to celebrate responsibly and consider how they might start 2026 with a fresh perspective on alcohol use, according to a press release issued Monday.

The Division urges Ohioans to make sure they plan ahead by designating a sober driver; having ride share apps downloaded on their mobile device; or saving contact information for a local taxi service in their phone.

Meanwhile, those who are hosting gatherings should be mindful of how much alcohol is being served, make non-alcoholic options available, make sure alcohol is staying out of the hands of minors, and ensure guests have a safe way to get home, the press release said.

The Division reminds liquor permit holders of their responsibility to follow Ohio’s liquor laws, including checking IDs, refusing service to intoxicated individuals, and maintaining a safe environment for patrons.

Individuals convicted of selling or providing alcohol to those under the legal drinking age can face a maximum sentence of six months in jail and/or a $1,000 fine for each offense.

“Whether you’re hosting a party or heading out for an event, we want everyone to enjoy the holiday safely and that starts with planning ahead,” said Division Superintendent Jackie DeGenova. “Being responsible with alcohol not only protects you, but also your friends, family and community.

“Let’s make sure 2026 gets off to a fun and safe start.”

Contact Brett Dunlap at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com and Evan Bevins at ebevins@newsandsentinel.com