How to Stop a Friend From Driving after Drinking

You’re at a party and suddenly it’s time for everyone to leave. A friend of yours has been drinking and is planning to drive. She insists that she had only a couple of drinks and is fine to drive, but you know she needs to be stopped.

Stepping in and stopping a friend who’s attempting to drive after drinking is a sign of true friendship. Not only could your friend get caught by her parents, lose her license, or be arrested ... she could seriously hurt or kill herself for someone else in an accident. It’s estimated that alcohol is involved in almost half of all motor vehicle accidents that kill teenagers.

Here are some suggestions for ways you can stop a
friend from drinking and driving:

Suggest that you or a sober friend drive your alcohol-impaired friend home. His or her car can always be picked up at another time.
Suggest that your friend stay overnight in your home. This may sound inconvenient, but you could be saving your friend’s, or someone else’s life.
Send your friend home in a taxi. Pay for the ride yourself. It’s hard to object to a free ride.
Call an adult you trust, like an older brother or sister, or a parent, who will help you make sure your friend gets home safely.
Whatever you do, don’t give in. Friends don’t let friends drink and then drive. In the morning, you’ll have a safe and maybe an even closer friend.

SADD (Students Against Destructive Decisions) is a peer leadership organization dedicated to preventing destructive decisions, particularly underage drinking, other drug use, impaired driving, teen violence, teen depression and suicide. Check out their website at www.sadd.org.