How to Prevent Drinking and Driving

By Nico Riley, eHow Contributor

I want to do this! What's This?

Every year there are many accidents and deaths that result from drinking and driving. Driving drunk poses a threat not only to the intoxicated people in the vehicle, but they also pose a threat to everyone else on the road and street. Many times the person to be hurt or killed from drinking and driving are innocent victims who happened to cross paths with a drunk driver. Here are some ways to prevent drinking and driving.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. 1
   Have a designated driver. If you and your friends are going to a party, bar, or anywhere else where there will be consumption of alcohol, designate a driver before you leave. The designated driver should have the car keys and should not consume any alcoholic beverages. Having a designated driver will ensure that people who are intoxicated will not be operating a vehicle and will also provide them with a safe ride home.
   
2. 2
   Don’t let your friends or anyone else in your presence drive drunk. If you notice a friend or another patron is drunk and about to get behind the wheel of a motor vehicle, take the keys from them and call a cab to take them to their destination. Driving while drunk is extremely dangerous. This is true even if you only have to drive a short distance.
   
3. 3
   Spread the word about drinking and driving. There are organizations such as Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) which teach of the dangers of drinking and driving. Check with your local authorities and community based organization to see how you can get involved in helping to keep people aware of the dangers of drunk driving. If you can’t personally volunteer your time to work with such organizations, support them by sending donations so they can continue in their work.
   
4. 4
   Contact your state and federal lawmakers about passing stricter drinking and driving laws. Also push for tougher punishments for those convicted of drunken driving offenses such as automatic revoking the licenses of those convicted of drunken driving along with mandatory jail time. Get your community and local law enforcement involved by stepping up sobriety checkpoints and saturation patrols. Some states do not currently have sobriety checkpoints so you can work towards bringing attention to those states in hopes of getting the laws changed.
   
5. 5
   Do not serve alcohol at parties where minors under the age of 21 are present. Even if an adult supervising the party doesn’t supply the alcohol, they are still liable if someone brings alcohol on their property. Monitor your children’s parties and make sure no alcohol is being served or passed around. Social host liability laws make it so the person who is in charge of the property is also responsible for any alcohol given to minors under the age of 21 on said property.