Designated drivers (DD) are defined the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)(2009) as a , "drinking-age adults who agree not to drink any alcoholic beverages and to safely transport anyone else home." Recently I was looking around the internet for programs offered that try and reduce the amount of intoxicated drivers on the road. NHTSA has a website through AAA DUI Justice Link that lists all of the programs available and I never realized how many there actually were. Right here in Fairfax there is a company called Driver's incorporated. This company comes to you and drives you and your car to your final destination. There is not worry about taxi fares, getting your car back in the morning, and especially no chance of a legal situation involving drunk driving. There are gift certificates available through their website and it is a good option for worried parents to ensure their children's safety. A recent article in Self Magazine, shows results of a research study showing that 1 in 5 designated drivers are impaired. It's not worth the risk when there is a safe alternative.
In October a girl, Erin, from Massachusetts was suspended from her school for driving a drunk friend home. She was punished for doing the right thing because when the school found out about the party, they claimed she broke zero-tolerance policy even though she was sober and did not attend the party except to be the DD. Many parents tell their children they are there if the situation arises but most kids will not call, they rather rely on a friend. Alcohol is responsible for 4,700 deaths of those underage annually. In my opinion we should not be discouraging our responsible youth. She saved lives that night and was a good friend. Even her mom was proud of her and filed a lawsuit against the school for her daughter to fight the ruling. Erin is an honor student and something unfair like this on her record can limit her opportunities for future education. A alumni of her high school, Matt Holland, set up a fund for her to raise $1,000 toward her cause. The case went to court and the judge ruled that the court did not have jurisdiction in this case and Erin was thus punished. Erin is a friend I hope that everyone has or everyone is. I hope that when she starts applying for colleges, they look at this for what it really is and give her all the opportunities she deserves.
Great choice in your blog topic. I am an experienced DD. I fully support DD practices and the rules that come with it. Being a DD means you cannot have alcohol but it gives you more power in decision making. The driving your car thing is really interesting but I have a couple of questions. What happens if they run over something and get a flat tire or damage your car? And I guess how much they charge. It is a cool idea regardless. I cannot stand police/families who punish DDs. They are being responsible and doing the right thing and receiving negative feedback. This is just horrible. I have been in this situation in high school but thankfully, the cop had a soft spot in her heart to let me go after an hour of begging her. (I was the sober DD)
ReplyDeletehttp://driversincorporated.com/services.html
DeleteThis link shows the rates and if you click the "about us" section it tells more about the insurance policy but they are fully insured.
Wow, I did not know about the programs in Fairfax. I have always told my friends to call me whenever they need a ride and I will come get them wherever they are, but they often feel too bad to wake me up and end up walking or taking a cab or putting too many people in a car. I will definitely let them know about this. Great blog!
ReplyDeleteI did not know about this program in fairfax either. I don't live their so It isnt something I plan to utilize, but I think it is a great program. Some units int eh army had similar programs that would come shuttle soldiers back to the barracks if they were out and about and had a little too much to drink.
ReplyDeleteIts unbelievable that a school system would punish a student for practicing responsible and safe actions. You have to wonder what goes through their heads, and how they can possibly justify their actions. The fact that a legal court system in their area said they dont have the jurisdiction doesnt make sense either. This bring up many issues within our legal system as well.. I had heard about the program in fairfax , I believe they do this in other areas as well. i would imagine there are a lot of legalities for that company , but it is the right thing to do. I believe there is more than one safe ride program available , but Im not 100% sure on the details. I think this would be a good way for bars to make money, they would have to work out the legal aspects obviously. But setting up a program where they have people on staff who drive their patrons home if they have to much to drink , and charge a fee for it , is a way to get people home safe.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe she would get suspended and punished for basically doing what taxi services everywhere do. I hope she gets justice because if it wasn't for people like her, there would be more drunk drivers out on the roads and that would really break the zero-tolerance policy the school was hoping for.
ReplyDeleteI think that those kind of programs are something that should be publicized around college campuses. It is important to make students aware of them if they could potentially save lives. Could it possibly lead to more students drinking? Maybe, but it is no different than providing college students with free condoms. People are going to do what they want to do regardless. May as well make things a little safer.
ReplyDeleteI constantly DD for my friends now a days. I would much rather sacrifice a night of drinking than have one of them drive while drunk and possible crash and maybe even die. I think these programs should definitely be publicized around college campuses.
ReplyDeleteI have been in almost any variation of being a DD you can think of and I think there is absolutely no excuse for driving drunk. I also know that it can be a hard decision to make for yourself if you have been drinking so personally, I make a point to plan ahead before getting into a situation like that. If I am DD, I set a strict guidelines for myself. If I am not DD, I make sure it is someone I trust and try to make it easier for them.
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