What Can We Do to Prevent Drunk Driving?
Drunk driving is a crime against humanity. It has the potential to destroy lives, ruin reputations and cause a wide range of emotional consequences.
Fortunately, there are multiple strategies available to prevent drunk driving. These include public education, beefed-up surveillance and tougher penalties for drunk drivers.
If you are going to drink, make a plan ahead of time that includes a designated driver or taking public transportation to get home. This is a proven method to keep yourself and others safe from drunk driving.
You can also choose to sleepover at a friend’s house rather than drive home intoxicated. If you have the means, it’s also a good idea to have your phone with a rideshare application saved and ready for use in case you find yourself too intoxicated to drive safely home.
Take a breath test to determine your blood alcohol concentration (BAC) before you drive. This will give you a much better idea of your sobriety level and help you avoid the possibility of being arrested or ticketed for drunk driving.
When you do decide to drive, be sure to always wear your seat belt and buckle up. These safety measures can make the difference between life and death.
Watch for other drivers who seem out of sync. If you notice someone driving erratically, stop and call the police to report it. Stay back several car lengths to give the officer enough room to pull the vehicle over and remove it from the road if it is in fact drunk.
Set up sobriety checkpoints on highly travelled roads. These checkpoints are usually manned by local law enforcement agencies at night, in an attempt to catch impaired drivers and reduce the number of fatal accidents.
If you do encounter a sobriety checkpoint, remember to be respectful and don’t share the location until several hours have passed. Word of mouth can render a checkpoint useless, and you could also be ticketed for violating the law!
Hold onto your keys.
If a friend or family member has been drinking and is planning to drive, it’s a good idea to offer them your keys so they can safely leave the premises. If they decline, you can ask them to get a ride from their friend or someone else who is not intoxicated.
Coordinate Transportation Services
It’s also helpful to have the contact information for a local taxi company saved on your phone or rideshare application so that you can reach out for transportation services when needed. This will be especially helpful if you are in the midst of a party with lots of people, and you do not want to risk driving home intoxicated.
Ensure that you have all of the proper insurance to cover your vehicle. Many insurance companies will raise your rates if you are convicted of driving under the influence. If you are caught, you could also face a tow or impounded vehicle.
Speak to your insurance agent about the option of getting an ignition interlock device installed in your car if you have been charged with driving under the influence. This device requires a breath test before the vehicle can be started and will deter intoxicated drivers from operating their vehicles.