Alcohol (PHOTO: Jackie Johnson)
This New Year’s Eve, don’t leave it to doubt – designate. Dave Pabst is the director of the Wisconsin DOT’s Bureau of Transportation Safety. “If you’re buzzed a little bit, don’t drive at all,” Pabst counsels. “By designating before you celebrate, you know who is actually going to do the driving later.”
Pabst, along with other state and local officials, is hoping that one of the safest years in decades on Wisconsin roads ends on a high note. “It takes the entire community to change our behaviors and be safe,” he said.
In addition to choosing a designated driver before a New Year’s Eve celebration begins, the Wisconsin State Patrol offers the following advice:
If you’re feeling buzzed, you probably are over the 0.08 (alcohol concentration) limit and should not drive.
Don’t allow friends to drive drunk no matter how much they protest.
Some taverns and restaurants have programs to provide patrons with a safe ride home. (Visit www.tlw.org for more information.)
Milwaukee County Transit System (www.ridemcts.com/about-us/news/miller-lite-free-rides-on-new-year’s-eve), Waukesha Metro Transit (www.ci.waukesha.wi.us/web/guest/waukeshametro/whats_New), Madison Metro (www.cityofmadison.com/metro/freerides/) and Green Bay Metro (www.greenbaymetro.org/en-us/default.aspx) are partnering with MillerLite to provide free bus rides on New Year’s Eve.
“If you can designate before you celebrate, and make sure that you don’t drink and drive, you’ll be fine, because no one wants a crash or a tragedy this time of year,” Pabst said. “Buzzed driving is drunk driving.”