“Well, I’m glad I drove home drunk!” is not a sentence you’ll probably ever hear coming out of a anyone’s mouth. Driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol is a criminal offense, and there aren’t many other worse things I can think of doing behind the wheel of a car. Not only are you endangering your life, but the lives of others and aside from the possibility of killing yourself or someone else, getting pulled over by the police while driving drunk can end up costing you a lot of money. Your license will get suspended, you might get jail time, and your insurance rates will go through the roof. Many insurance companies will not even insure you if you have a DUI on your record. There are absolutely no excuses and no reason for anyone to get behind the wheel of a car while drunk, and every step must be taken to prevent it from happening.

In the majority of recorded cases, people that have been involved in drunk-driving incidents have clearly stated that they had no intention of driving, and that unforeseen circumstances forced them into it. If someone is going out for a few drinks after work with some colleagues, two options would be to leave the car at home that day and get a ride home from someone that is sober, or leave your car at the bar and take public transportation (e.g. train, bus, taxi, Uber, etc.). The number of traffic accidents caused by drunk drivers are on the rise, so here are a few things to consider when going out for a drink:

Designated driver

All across the country, people like to go out together and socialize, and chances are very high that they will be drinking some alcohol that will end up causing some people to be over the safe limit to drive. Before that night begins, designated drivers should be chosen to get these people home safely. It’s the duty of the designated driver to not consume any alcohol, and to ensure the safety of all inebriated people in getting home.

AAA’s Tipys Tow service

In any situation, every driver should have at least one back-up plan. For those drivers who are lucky enough to be AAA members, they can take advantage of the organization’s Tipsy Tow service. Drivers that are under the influence with their car can call on AAA to essentially recue them from their situation. Tipsy Tow will tow the car, its driver and one passenger all the way home within a 15-mile radius and up to two am. This service has been proven to be very effective and worth considering for any driver that’s had a little too much to drink. One phone call to AAA could prevent a potential catastrophe.

Saferide America

SafeRide America has been around for more than ten years now, and provides one of the easiest solutions for getting a car and its driver home safely. They send a driver along with a backup car who will make sure their inebriated client gets home safe. Hiring SafeRide America costs a little bit, but It’s worth it in comparison to what could happen if the driver is caught driving drunk.