Five Alternatives to Driving Drunk

Party at Home! 

There’s no better way to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in this economy than to stay home where the drinks are significantly cheaper and not watered down—unless you want them to be. Having a get-together at your place also eliminates the concern about driving home while there are other drunk drivers on the road. Not only are the food and drinks cheaper, but the company is much better too—after all, you’ve got a say in who attends your party but, at a bar, it usually takes a lot of strict warnings before the weird guy is thrown out. If you do plan on hosting a St. Patrick’s Day party, make sure that you do offer your friends the option to stay the night. Don’t allow your friends to drive home drunk. If they aren’t able to spend the night, make sure they have a safe ride home. 

Rideshare Apps 

There is absolutely no excuse for drunk driving in a day and age where you can get use a rideshare service anytime and anywhere. While services like Lyft can both be expensive, they’re often a lot less expensive than a DUI will cost. Not only will you have to pay for a criminal defense attorney—which can easily be five figures—you may also have to pay fees, have increased insurance rates, and you may even be sentenced to jail time if you’re under the influence of alcohol. There’s also the cost of court-ordered therapy that you may have to pay out of pocket. Court ordered therapy is generally a lot more expensive than regular therapy. If you kill someone while driving under the influence of alcohol, you will live with that guilt for the rest of your life. 

Get a Hotel Downtown 

Many fun downtown areas have a lot of bars and a lot of hotels. If you are going on a bar crawl, it may be a good idea to get a hotel downtown and walk to the bar. While a hotel may be a good deal of money, sharing with friends may be an ideal solution, especially if you’re having a girls’ night or guys’ night. If you’re walking to a bar, make sure that you’re on the lookout for potential drunk drivers. Although you’re being responsible tonight, not everyone will be, unfortunately. If you need to cross the street, make sure you’re using a crosswalk. When you have the right of way, you should still look out for cars—especially drivers turning left—that may be about to enter the crosswalk that you’re using. If possible, stick to well-lit areas and sidewalks. If you are walking back to the hotel, make sure you get a friend to escort you, especially if you’re under the influence.
 

Crash at a Friend’s House 

Staying at a friend’s house is always a great idea. However, you should make sure that this is the plan before you begin drinking. A lot of people drink and drive because they don’t have a plan. They start drinking and realize that they need to get home. Often times, they rationalize their decision, reasoning that they aren’t that drunk—even though they actually are way too drunk to drive. If you’re planning on celebrating at a friend’s house, make sure that you have a plan in place before you begin drinking. Don’t expect to be able to spend the night at their house without asking. Although, if you are the friend in this situation, you should consider allowing your friends to spend the night, or at least help ensure that they get home safe.  

Be the DD 

Being the designated driver is a great way to avoid drunk driving and to prevent others from driving while under the influence. Although it may be exhausting baby-sitting all of your drunk friends, they’ll definitely thank you later when they wake up in a nice cozy bed instead of waking up in jail. You will also be happy to enjoy the benefits of not waking up in jail. If you are the designated driver, keep an eye out on your friends. It may be a good idea to take everyone’s keys and give them back to the owner once you drop them off at their house. 

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