Designated Drivers reduce drunk driving. As a result, they have saved many, many lives. They’ve also spared even more people from suffering injury from drunk driving.

I. Designated Drivers

A designated driver is simply a person who agrees not to drink alcohol and drive others home. The others are free to drink or not as they choose. Many establishments provide free non-alcoholic drinks to Designated Drivers. Just ask.

Over nine out of 10 Americans would like to see Designated Drivers used. And the proportion of people using or being a Designated Driver has increases greatly over time. Each year tens of millions of Americans either serve as a Designated Driver or are driven home by one.

II. Helps Friends & Family

A Designated Driver helps friends and family in many ways.

• • Avoid embarrassment.
  • Keep their drivers licenses.
  • Avoid fines.
  • Keep out of jail.
  • Prevent needless injury or death.

III. Other Advantages of Designated Driver Concept

• • The non-drinker has a respected role at a social function where alcohol is served. There is no stigma to abstaining because the Designated Driver is an important member of the group. Being a designated driver can also help reinforce a personal choice not to drink.
  • The Designated Driver approach prevents driving under any level of impairment. That’s because that person drinks no alcohol. It doesn’t require a driver or passenger to decide if a person is too impaired to drive.
  • The server or host can offer a positive alternative to drunk driving by encouraging a group to designate a driver.
  • The Designated Driver concept is easy to understand, simple to use, costs nothing, and is effective.

IV. Tips for Designated Drivers

• • Plan ahead whenever you are going to drink alcohol.
  • Decide ahead of time who will not drink any alcohol before or during the event.
  • Consider taking turns being the Designated Driver. (Look after your friends and family and they can look after you.)
  • Larger groups should have more than one Designated Driver. ⁷

V. Other Ways to Help

Taking Car Keys

You can also save lives by taking car keys from intoxicated people to prevent them from being drivers.

Here are some helpful hints on how to get the keys from a drunk person about to drive.

• • Be calm. Joke about it. Make light of it.
  • Make it clear that you’re doing the drunk person a favor.
  • Locate their keys while they’re preoccupied and take them. They may think they’ve lost them and will be forced to accept another driver.
  • If it is a close friend, try to use a soft, calm approach. Suggest to them privately that they’ve had too much to drink. Explain that it would be safer if someone else drove them home. Or if they took a cab or other way.
  • Tell a close friend or loved one that if they drive, you won’t go with them. Tell them that you will ride with someone else.
  • If it’s someone you don’t know well, speak to their friends. Ask them to try to get the person to hand over the keys.
  • If possible, avoid embarrassing the person or being confrontational.¹

Report Drunk Drivers

If you see a driver doing any of these things, report the car. Include its description and location. The driver may be ill or intoxicated and shouldn’t be on the road. Signs of drunk driving may include any of these.

• • Weaving.
  • Driving with windows down in cold weather.
  • Passing dangerously.
  • Straddling the center line.
  • Making wide turns.
  • Driving slowly.
  • Tailgating.

You really can make a difference!

Designated Drivers reduce drunk driving. And they save lives and reduce injuries. Also, those who don’t let others drive drunk save lives and reduce injuries.

Each such death is a needless tragedy affecting many others who are left suffering and grieving. Be a Designated Driver . . . be a hero.