Volunteer For Designated Driver
December 23, 2007 | In Connecting With Others |
Table of contents for Friends
Have you ever been confronted with a very good reminder of why being the designated driver is a good idea?
Photo by glennharper
When I was in college, I participated in an anonymous survey about students’ drinking and driving habits. I had an opportunity to see some responses from my classmates and I was shocked at the number who admitted to consuming multiple drinks and then driving. Although I was usually the designated driver for my friends, the survey convinced me to continue.
We’ve all heard the horror stories and we’ve all seen the public service announcements. We know, deep down, that drinking and driving is a bad idea. But, so many still do it. Is the answer to continue the focus on not doing it, or on something else? Often, hearing the word “don’t” makes us want to do it. So, instead, what if we focused on spreading the word about how important it is to declare yourself as the designated driver? And not just when a friend is drunk - but before you even leave the house to go out. I know from personal experience that declaring yourself as the designed driver at the start of the evening results in no conflicts for the keys. In fact, I’ve found it’s just the opposite - the evening runs pretty smoothly.
Volunteering Isn’t As Bad As You May Think
Oh, I know - being the designated driver isn’t sexy. It means you don’t get to “party.” So what? I found joy in knowing I was possibly saving my friends’ lives while still spending time with them. The bar my friends and I frequented in college had a ping pong table, pool table, and two dart boards in the back. Instead of drinking, I worked on my ping pong, pool, and dart throwing abilities.
Admittedly, there is a downside to being the designated driver as well: when your friends go beyond the few drinks and into the sick stage. I don’t know how prevalent this is after college, but I know it was quite frequent when I was in college. More times than I could count, my friends drank too much and ended up getting sick. Once, a friend was very sick - way beyond drunk and funny to the “should we worry?” stage. Luckily, he was OK, but this was a night I was very glad that I was driving him.
Unexpected Benefits
Then there were those moments when being the designated driver meant I got to be more than just the one with the keys; I got to be a sympathetic ear as well. For instance, once, a friend forgot something at his house and I was called upon to drive him to home to retrieve it. Away from the rest of the guys at the bar, he was able to talk about something that was bothering him. Given that I can’t remember what he needed to retrieve, I suspect that the need to vent was his main reason for leaving and I’m glad I was able to provide advice as well as driving skills.
Did I always enjoy being the designated driver? No. Would I do it over again? Yes. Granted, I rarely drink, so maybe I was the obvious choice for designated driver. On the other hand, because of the respect I got from always being willing to step up and do the job, when I did want to drink, my friends paid attention. Someone else was willing to step in, or we just decided to stay home.
In the end, I don’t know if continued focus on the drinker will make the difference it needs to. However, I do believe that also focusing on the benefits of being the designated driver can make an impact. We all know intoxicated drivers are a problem. Won’t you join me in stepping into the role of designated driver and becoming part of the solution?
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