Good friends don’t just tell friends what they want to hear; they tell them what they need to hear. Preventing a friend from getting behind the wheel after they have been drinking can be challenging, but it might just save the life of the friend and the other motorists and pedestrians around them.
It can be difficult to reason with an intoxicated friend that is determined to drive. Doing so may require more than one tactic. Persistence is important, but persistence alone can be met with strong resistance. It must be communicated that your persistence is an act of love for your friend.
3 ways to proactively prevent your friend from driving drunk
According to State Farm Insurance Company, here are a few ways that you can help a friend:
- Drive them home: If you are not intoxicated, now is the time to be a good friend and act as a designated driver. Driving your friend home may not be what you had planned for your evening, but it might just save a life or multiple lives.
- Call a cab: If you are in no condition to drive your friend home, call a taxi or an Uber. It may be necessary to wait with your friend to make sure that they safely get in the ride provided. Additionally, providing clear directions and an address can ensure that the ride home is successful.
- Take their keys: This is the last resort. If all other efforts have failed, it may be necessary to take your friend’s keys. They may be upset with you at the moment, but they will surely thank you the next day. If you must take a drunk person’s keys, be sure that a safe ride is arranged, such as steps one and two above.
According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving, there are over 300,000 drinking and driving-related injuries and fatalities per year. You can do your part by stopping your friend from being a statistic. It’s a noble cause that one should not deny.
If all else fails and you or a friend finds themselves with a DUI or worse, then it could be helpful to have professional guidance that is experienced in DUI cases in Georgia.