What to do When Your Designated Driver Plan Fails

There’s no question that designating a driver reduces drunken driving accidents and saves lives.

Designated Driver Statistics

As time goes along, more and more people have gotten on board with the idea of designating drivers. A Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) survey done in 2014 showed:

• That 75% of people designate a driver so they can return home safely
• That 75% of the people who volunteer to be the designated driver do so to make sure they arrive home safely
• That 85% who ride with a designated driver do so for safety reasons
• Another reason for designating a driver was to avoid a DUI charge

Who Is Most at Risk for Drunk Driving Fatalities?

Drunk driving takes the lives of young drivers more than any other age group:

• Drivers between the ages of 21 to 24 – 30%
• Drivers between the ages of 25 to 34 – 29%
• Drivers between the ages of 35 to 44 – 24%

Always preparing ahead for a designated driver shows more than good character; you’re looking out for yourself, your friends, and others on the road. Being the designated driver shows just as much good character. But what happens when your designated driver plans fail? There are other options, and you should know about these options should this ever occur.

Other Options When Designated Driving Plans Fail

If everyone in your group wants to party and drink, and no one wants to be a designated driver, there are other ways to designate a driver, such as:

• Calling a parent or other sober adult
• Calling a taxi
• Using public transportation
• Chartering a limo or party bus
• Arranging a ride through Uber or Lyft – their apps are free, and they’re great alternatives to a cab – they can get to you quicker, and you don’t need to call up a company for a taxi, just open your app, and with the tap of a finger and a debit/credit card on hand, you have a safe ride home
• Staying overnight if at a friends house and waiting until the morning when you’re sober and are able to be your own designated driver
• If you need your car in the morning, to go to work, run errands etc., don’t justify it – there are services on the rise that will come to you with two sober drivers, 1 to drive you and your car home and the other to drive the second vehicle – SafeRideAmerica, IDriveYourCar, and BeMyDD are just a few options you can check out – but always make sure to plan this ahead of time

Designate Your Driver Ahead of Time

Don’t wait until you’ve already started drinking to designate a driver. By then, your thinking is impaired, and you probably won’t realize you need one.

Designated drivers are on the rise. However, according to MADD, a person is injured in a drunk driving crash every two minutes. Also, on the average, 2 in 3 people will be involved in a drunk driving accident during their lifetime. To repeat, 2 in 3 people will be injured in a drunk driving accident – whether they’re the at-fault driver or not. This prediction is staggering. We all must make very precaution we can and learn not to be so complacent about our driving habits. Even one drink could impair your driving – especially if you’re on medication that enhances alcohol’s effect on the brain. Buzzed driving is drunk driving.

Be safe. Always designate a driver ahead of time. Your safety isn’t always in your hands, but in this case, it is. Never drink and drive, and never get in the car with someone you even suspect has had a drink or taken drugs. And know that there are ALWAYS available options for you (and your friends) to get home safe and sound.

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