As temperatures begin to climb, you may be itching to have a picnic, visit your favorite restaurant or attend a sporting event. If your plans include enjoying beer, wine or spirits, though, you must be careful not to drink and drive. After all, Wisconsin has some of the country’s toughest penalties for operating a vehicle while impaired.
While there are many ways to stay off the road after having a few drinks, choosing a designated driver allows you to have fun without worrying about how you are getting home. Unfortunately, not everyone in your friend group is likely to make a good designated driver.
Responsibility
According to reporting from ABC News, about 33% of young adults ride with impaired drivers. For your designated driver to be effective, he or she must be responsible enough to refuse alcohol. You can find this person in a couple of ways.
First, you can pick a driver who never drinks. If your designated driver intends to join your group for a night on the town, this may be critical. Alternatively, you can have a designated driver who picks you up when you are ready to go home. With this strategy, your driver does not have to deal with the temptation of drinking in a social setting.
Commitment
Your designated driver should also have a firm commitment to his or her role. This may require babysitting intoxicated passengers. Furthermore, your driver may have to round up members of your group or stay out later than he or she wants.
Availability
You should be able to count on your designated driver to be available when you need transportation. If one of your friends tends to disappear during the evening, he or she is probably not a good candidate for your designated driver.
Ultimately, spending some time picking the right designated driver is likely to decrease your chances of facing OWI charges considerably.
