This isn’t the Prohibition era, and we’re not into moralizing about alcohol consumption.

We have no beef about adults having a few drinks on New Year’s Eve, as long as no one else gets hurt in the process. Your choice — hangover, no hangover. Check yes or no.

But, with one very important proviso: Don’t drink and drive.

And we’re very much against hosts of a New Year’s Eve party sending their guests out to their cars when their guests have overindulged. Especially when there are safe options to avoid behavior that risks your life and that of others you may encounter on the road.

Those alternatives include:

• Taking a cab.

• Having a friend be the designated driver. (Not, by the way, the friend who has had the least to drink, but the one who has not consumed alcohol! Once the designated driver has had a few, they should no longer be so designated!)

• Staying put and having a sober friend or relative pick you up. (You can always get your car the next day).

• Staying put and staying the night if you are at a house party.

Law enforcement officials see all the bad results when people don’t choose one of the above; then they end up making the arrests, every year, when people don’t heed their advice not to drink and drive. Worse yet, they have to investigate when there’s an injury accident caused by driving while intoxicated.

We agree with advice from Niagara County Sheriff James Voutour: “We want everyone to enjoy themselves and have a good time on New Year’s. As one of the big drinking nights of the year, we hold it in high regard that people designate a driver or take a car service.”

Lockport Police Traffic Capt. Michael Niethe also has words of wisdom we agree with: “One DWI, one injury, one fatality is far too many. While we’ll have enhanced patrols out that night for Rock the Locks, we strongly urge you not to overindulge, for your safety and that of our community.”

If you have to drive, switch to soft drinks or some other non-alcoholic beverage at some point in the evening to keep within safe driving limits for your own tolerance of alcohol.

So have some fun, watch the ball drop — in Lockport, Wilson or at home, watching TV — meet up with friends, enjoy a band. But don’t get behind the wheel of your vehicle with too much alcohol under your belt.