Our view: Everyone should help avoid DUI

Alcohol is a fine thing.

Really, we don’t mind it. In fact, we’re pretty sure enjoying cool margarita on a warm night is a great summertime experience. 

However, a problem exists when someone has too much to drink. It’s a problem we all have responsibility in curtailing.

According to statistics from the Governor’s Council on Impaired Driving, the number of alcohol-related crashes taking place in Wyoming was 978 in 2012 and 876 in 2013. Of those crashes, 393 involved injuries in 2012 while 353 involved injuries in 2013. Of course, alcohol-related crashes can be fatal, with 42 crashes resulting in fatalities in 2012 and 24 in 2013.

The problem with people driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol isn’t something law enforcement should be tasked with handling alone. It’s something servers should help with by cutting off people who have clearly had too much to drink. It’s something friends and family should tackle by taking the keys from someone who plans to drive home after having drinks. It’s standing up to someone who insists they’re fine to drive despite the evidence of the contrary. It’s also personally knowing how much is too much to drink and admitting when that line is crossed.

For businesses, training is available for their servers to recognize when a patron is having too much to drink. One example is TIPS, Training for Intervention Procedures. Available in Wyoming, the training gives participants education in the responsible sale of alcohol as well as information that helps cut instances of underage drinking, drunk driving and intoxication. 

Individuals can help combat drunk driving through a number of means. For example, personal breathalyzer tests are available and can be used to keep track of how intoxicated a person is. It can also be used as a method to prevent someone from driving drunk. A person blowing more than the .08 legal blood-alcohol content limit would have a much more difficult time in convincing a friend they’re able to drive home.

Personal responsibility comes into play as well. If it’s going to be the kind of night where large amounts of alcohol will be consumed, make plans to have a sober friend drive the group around. Failing that, there’s nothing wrong with calling a taxi at the end of a night if nobody in a group is capable of driving.

The people who take up this task aren’t just protecting the safety of the inebriated; they’re keeping safe our friends, neighbors and family members too.