New Years Eve has long been one of the biggest party nights of the year- but in some cases, an alcohol-fueled night on the town could end with one ore more people being carted off to the slammer.

Suffice to say, there are a number of things you'll want to keep in mind before grabbing your keys and walking out the door.  A little bit of forethought combined with a small bit of planning can go a long way- and it can help ensure your big night out doesn't end in disaster.

If you plan on partaking in this year's festivities, be sure to keep these five tips in mind.

1.   Plan a safe route home.   The average round-trip cab fare is typically somewhere between $50 and $60, with tip.  The average cost of a DUI?  Let's just say it's significantly higher.  Before you head out to the club or in-home party, be sure to pre-plan your way home.  You might even consider programming the numbers for one or two cab company phone numbers into your cell.

     2.  Don't give law enforcement a reason to pull you over.  If your car had a broken headlight or taillight, you may want to swap out the bulb.   Get the crack in your windshield fixed.   Why?  Police will be actively looking for reasons to pull drivers over on New Year's Eve.  If your vehicle has an obvious repair issue that will draw unwanted attention, either address before you go out or drive a different car.

3.  Commit at least three phone numbers to memory.  On the unfortunate instance you do find yourself in the wrong side of the law, chances are you're going to want to get out of jail ASAP.  At the time of your arrest the officer is going to confiscate your personal belongings- including your cell phone- and it is really hard to call someone to help bail you out if you don't know any phone numbers off the top of your head.  Memorizing a few contact numbers is always a good idea.

     4.  Don't break the law.  You know that garden gnome that's in the middle of your neighbor's lawn, or the decorative bird bath that's three yards over?   Leave them there.   The urge you have in the back of your mind to run off with them should be ignored.   Taking someone that belongs to someone else, even if it's a champagne induced prank- qualifies as larceny.  Larceny is a crime- and it could get you arrested.

     5. If you do get into trouble, ask the officer if they can let you off with a notice to appear. A notice to appear, also called a cite-out, can be an alternative to going to jail.  Sure, you'll still need to appear before a judge on a set date and time, but the cite-out will allow you to go home, as opposed to spending the night behind bars.