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Tips to Stay Safe

1. Talk to your parents before going to any party. Let your parents know where you will be and what time you will be home (especially if you don’t have a curfew that you normally stick to).
2. Make sure to have a plan in place on how you are going to get home BEFORE going to the party and especially before drinking. Inform your parents of this plan.
3. Keep your cell phone charged at all times, or make sure you have coins to use a payphone. Keep several different numbers of responsible people handy so that you may call them if you get into trouble.
4. Strike a deal with your parents or with a trusted and responsible friend that you will call them, no questions asked, if you have been drinking and you need a ride home.
5. Never ride in a car with a friend who has been drinking. Girls - please pay particular attention to this point. Girls have been known to get into cars with their boyfriends, or other friends, who have been drinking… be aware of the peer pressure, and reject it.
6. If you do drink, please drink responsibly. This means: have substantial snacks on hand, drink water and stop drinking after a set number of drinks (set a limit and stick to it). None of this will help “keep you sober” or “sober you up”, but it may help prevent you from getting sick or from doing something that you will regret later, or that could put you in serious danger.
7. Always err on the side of caution. Keep emergency numbers handy and use them when you need to. Don’t wait. If someone passes out, for example, they could be suffering from alcohol poisoning. Call 911 or a parent right away. Don’t wait, as waiting could cost a life.
8. Make sure that you always have cash on hand for transit or for a cab.
9. Don’t let your friends drink and drive or get into vehicles with those who have been drinking. Even though this might be difficult, as your friend may not want to listen to you and may insist that they are “fine”; be courageous and hold your ground. This could be the best thing you ever do for your friend.
10. If YOU are the host of the party, drink moderately yourself so that you can make sure to keep your friends safe.

We know and understand how hard it can be to stand up to friends who want you to drink and drive or who want you to drive in a car with them, even though they have been drinking.

We also understand that sometimes it seems like you have no other option but to drive with your friend, even though he or she has been drinking.

And we understand, too, that sometimes, after you’ve been drinking, it really does seem like your friend is “fine” to drive - or that you are “fine” to drive.

Finally, we understand that you don’t want to look like a “nerd” or a “goody two shoes” by insisting on responsible choices.

It’s hard. You will need courage. It’s possible that you will have to stand up to people that you normally would not feel comfortable standing up to.

Please keep in mind that the choices you make could change your life forever. They could also forever change the lives of people you don’t even know. It could actually take your life from you, when you’re just beginning.

Choose courage and make the right choice.

Check Tips for Keeping Your Guests Safe, FAQ, and What Do You Do? for more ideas and information. And check Costs of Impaired Driving for specific information on what it could cost you if you choose to drive impaired.