Designated Drivers to Prevent Deaths

The DailyHerald has an editorial, “Message must get across to save lives”, written in response to a recent car crash in which the driver was over the legal limit of alcohol for driving in Illinois (the phrase often used: “legally drunk” is wrong in so many ways). The crash was horrific according to reports and people were killed.

They close with a fairly simple proposal that could do a lot to prevent alcohol-related crashes and deaths (although the first thought should likely be to not drink to excess/intoxication). There closing paragraph:

It brings us to a key point we want to stress at such a sad time: Several years ago, the concept of a designated driver became a popular message amongst law enforcement agencies and the alcohol industry itself. It is an easy and effective way to keep groups of partygoers safe. We encourage all people of legal drinking age to adopt such a routine when knowing ahead of time that there is a chance of consuming over the legal limit at a sports event, concert, party or festival. It is something that a true friend will do for others, and it will save lives.

To borrow from the Surgeon General’s statement regarding underage drinking (It is a truism that pertains to so many “problems”, although “problem” seems an understatement): “The solution is everyone’s responsibility”.