Drunk driving kills thousands of people every year and thousands more are injured. That’s thousands of families devastated and thousands of lives impacted. The worst part is that every single one of those deaths and injuries could have been prevented. Drunk driving is not an accident. If you’re at a party, here are some tips for preventing your friends or anyone else at the party from drunk driving.
Taxi
If everyone’s been drinking and there’s no sober member of your group to drive, just call a taxi. Yes, it costs money, and yes you’ll have to figure other things out later, but seriously your lives and the lives of those around you are more important. Call a taxi to take you home, or if you can’t call one yourself, ask a bartender or someone else to call one for you. It isn’t as terrible as it might seem, and it’s the right decision. And if you see someone else that needs help calling a taxi, take the initiative and call one for them.
Designated Driver
If you want a designated driver, establish who is staying sober beforehand. Be grateful for them; they’re doing you a favor. Buy them food or some equivalent form of compensation. If you’re the designated driver, make sure you’re the only one with keys, and keep an eye out for your friends throughout the night. If the designated driver slips during the party, just call a cab. Don’t worry about it, and don’t get mad at him or her. It happens, it’s okay, and there are solutions.
Taking Keys
If everything wasn’t as well planned out beforehand, and someone that might drive home starts drinking, take away their keys. Don’t make it a big deal, don’t use this to make fun of them, just do it. It can be a joke, or it can be a secret—whatever works. Approach them quietly and don’t make a scene if you’re going to talk to him or her about taking their keys. Or, if you’re not as close with the person, ask one of his or her friends to do it. If you see someone that’s too drunk to drive, protect them from themselves, and they’ll thank you later, even if they’re upset now. In fact, if they do get mad, you’re probably doing the right thing by taking away their keys.
Public Transportation
This is also an option that can sometimes be available. If there are buses that run at the time you are leaving, that’s perfect. Some campuses have free shuttling services, and some cities have night busses that are specially targeted to places with many bars. Check out your options before you leave and consider public transportation if taxis and designated driving sound unappealing.
Sometimes, even if you do anything right, injuries can still happen if you get hit by a drunk driver. In these cases, you need an experienced personal injury lawyer to regain the compensation you deserve.
Stay safe when you’re having fun!
