Why Don’t People Designate A Driver?

Many people in Fort Lauderdale and throughout Florida ring in the New Year with friends and family—and often a cocktail or two. When too many alcoholic beverages are ingested, one’s judgment is affected. Unfortunately, this can cause someone to make a bad decision and get behind the wheel of his or her car and attempt to drive home.

We all know that driving drunk is illegal and is just not smart or safe; however, when people are feeling good after a night of celebrating, they might make some not-so-smart decisions and decide to drive home. There are many reasons why people who have been drinking might decide to drive home as opposed to designate a driver, including these falsehoods:

• Myth: I haven’t had that many alcoholic drinks. Truth: The reality is that even a drink or two can have an effect on you.

• Myth: I’m not drunk. Truth: If your holiday celebrations included spiked eggnog or drinking other alcoholic beverages, you could be intoxicated and not realize it.

• Myth: I can still drive safely. Truth: Many drunk people believe they can still drive safely until it is too late and they get into a crash.

• Myth: I don’t live that far away so nothing can happen on my way home. Truth: Drunk driving crashes in South Florida can occur in an instant and can take place even on your way home.

• Myth: No one wants to come pick me up or drive me home. Truth: Family and friends will want to take you home or pick you up to make sure you arrive home safely because they care about you more than you realize.

These myths are the reason why people who attend parties should designate a driver ahead of time or plan another way home such as taking a taxi. Sometimes, hosts of parties will invite people to stay the night, which is the best thing people who have been drinking should do if they don’t have a designated driver. Designated drivers (DD) are the unsung heroes of parties; however, some people who say they are designated drivers still choose to have a couple of drinks. So that partygoers understand what a designated driver is, a DD looks something like this:

• A person who volunteers ahead of time
• A person who avoids drinking
• A person who knows how important it is to get the partygoers home safely

The next time you choose to party, make sure you designate a driver. If you have done your part and you suffered an injury in a crash with a drunk driver, please contact an accident attorney in South Florida at the Law Offices of David Benenfeld at 954-677-0155 for a free consultation today.