Image from Budweiser’s Anti-drunk driving campaign

There’s a new anti-drunk driving ad campaign in town, and this one could get a lot of attention. Big beer brand Budweiser and ride sharing company Lyft have partnered to share a responsible drinking message and give away free rides during peak party hours.

The campaign is called “Give A Damn. Don’t Drive Drunk,” and together they will give away up to 80,000 rides during peak times in key states like New York, Florida, and Colorado. Beginning on Friday, September 16^th and carrying on through the end of the year, Budweiser will share a code each week on their social media accounts. Followers of Budweiser can then enter that code into their Lyft app and they’ll get a $10 credit on their ride sharing account.

Riders will have to be quick though, because only the first five thousand who claim the codes will be able to use them that weekend to get home safely. They’ll also only be able to use the code during peak drunk driving times of 10 pm and 2 am on Friday and Saturday nights.

Although this is the first pairing of Budweiser and Lyft, creating anti-drunk driving campaigns is nothing new for Budweiser. They and their ad agencies are behind the heart-felt commercial “Someone waits for you at home” and Helen Mirren’s “Give a Damn.” These commercials aired during the Super Bowl for maximum impact and to reach the most potential drunk drivers possible

Ad campaigns like this do more than just send out a anti-drunk driving message: they give a concrete and simple way to say no to drunk driving. Although it’s just in the preliminary stages, the fact that this campaign could stop a lot of drunk drivers might be enough encouragement for other alcohol companies to get on board. It won’t stop everyone, but it’s a great step in the right direction as we approach the holiday season.

Whether you’re someone who makes resolutions or you just take the new year as it comes, you can’t deny that there’s just something about a fresh new year that makes anything seem possible.

Here’s to a safe New Year full of opportunities and all the best in 2016 from everyone at Guardian Interlock.

Like tinsel and twinkly lights, drinking and driving public service announcements (PSAs) start making their appearance around Christmas time and they stick around through the New Year. It’s because of holiday drinking drivers that this time of year, and it’s the goal of law enforcement and other organizations to ensure the public knows that through video, audio, and image PSAs.

There are a lot of great PSAs created in the United States, but if you want an example of a PSA that captures your attention, just take a look at a few of these from across the pond. They get right to the point, and they do it in such a witty way you can’t help but get the message.

Christmas Crackers

We’ve all heard of Christmas Crackers. They were first created way back in the 1800’s by a UK man who wanted kids to be able to to open their treats with a bang, but this isn’t a holiday cracker anyone will want to open.

If you’re drunk driving, be aware of Christmas Presence

Christmas is a time of year for holiday parties, gift giving, and if statistics are any indication, drinking and driving. Local police want you to know that they’ve stepped up patrols all over the United States to crack down on people who are drunk driving, and this UK PSA is a great reminder of that.

Will you be the drunk driver who crashes into Santa?

When you’re drunk driving, that person you crash into could be anyone. From the father of a family of 6 to someone’s grandmother, anyone, even Santa, has the potential to be an innocent victim when you make the decision to drink and drive.

The best PSAs are those that make you stop and think, and these drunk driving PSAs from the UK are great examples of effective holiday reminders to not drink and drive.

There are a lot of Holiday TV shows and movies to catch up every December, and when you’re curled up in front of the fire, your choice of flick is probably It’s a Wonderful Life or White Christmas. But there are a few other videos you should watch this holiday season: the type that can save your life if you take their message to heart.

Every year organizations like Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), Liquor Control, and local law enforcement create new public service announcements designed to educate the public about the dangers of drunk driving. Here are just a few PSA’s with a strong message about drunk driving.

Buzzed driving is drunk driving

The Oregon Liquor Commission wants you to know that buzzed driving can be just as dangerous as drunk driving. They’ve put together a PSA that’s full of festive music, but the message is one that might make you think twice about having one drink before getting behind the wheel.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PD28bpk8Tlk]

MADD Glasses

This one has been around for so long it’s hard to find someone who hasn’t seen it, but this MADD PSA still makes an impact on anyone who watches it.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8LF1v19Kvs]

Newport Beach Police Holiday PSA

Who can resist a play on Santa Claus is Coming to Town, complete with lyrics about the dangers of drinking and driving? The Newport Beach PD is singing carols designed to make you think about drinking and driving, and with over 30,000 views on Youtube, it seems like their message is getting across.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bw1EwmEpKc]

Every year thousands of people across the United States are killed by drunk drivers during the holiday season. Don’t ruin the holiday season for everyone you love by drinking and driving. Call a cab, call a sober driver, or just stay home if you’d like to drink and you’ll get through the holiday safe and sound.

There’s a lot to look forward to on Halloween. You’ll see ghosts and goblins, and trick or treaters who line the streets with their watchful parents close behind. You’ll see kids on a sugar-high that can last for days after the last piece of candy is given out. What you don’t hope to see on Halloween or any other time of the year are drunk drivers, and even one drink can mean the difference between you or someone else having a safe and happy Halloween or ending up in jail.

That’s why police all over the United States are sending out a reminder: buzzed driving is just as dangerous as drunk driving. What is buzzed driving? It’s defined as driving a vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .01 to .07. Yes, you’re under the legal limit of .08 with that BAC, but that doesn’t mean you’re safe to drive.

If the United States were to follow Canada’s example, driving in the warn range or buzzed driving would be illegal and punishable with driving under the influence (DUI) penalties in same way a standard over .08 DUI is. In many Canadian provinces, a warn range violation occurs when you have a .05 to .0799 BAC. If you’re caught in the warn range, you could receive an immediate roadside drivers license suspension and have your vehicle impounded for 3 days.

Even one glass of alcohol can mean your motor skills, vision, and hand/eye coordination are affected, so if you’re planning on going out for a fun Halloween night, remember this: the scariest thing that can happen on Halloween is a drunk driving crash, and you don’t want to be the person responsible to injuring or killing another person who just wanted to enjoy a fun evening out. Don’t drink and drive, even if you’ve only had one drink.

Labor Day means a lot of different things to different people. For some, it’s the final long weekend of summer, with no long weekends in sight until Thanksgiving. For others, it’s the beginning of the new school year, and it’s something to alternately look forward to or dread. But for drivers commuting to an end of summer party or weekend at the beach, Labor Day kicks off one of the deadliest weekends of the entire year. That’s because more drunk drivers are on the road during the busy end of summer weekend than almost any other time.

The meaning of Labor Day

Labor Day wasn’t always a time when law enforcement are stretched to their limit running checkpoints and stopping drunk drivers. The day was originally proposed way back in 1882 by the Central Labor Union of New York, and the purpose of the day was to give tribute to the working class who had built the country. It wasn’t until 1894 that it was officially declared a legal holiday, falling on the first Monday of every September.

Most people don’t think about Labor Day as a tribute to the working class anymore, but you’ll still find people out celebrating the official end of summer. That’s all well and good, but problems can start if those people decide to celebrate then get behind the wheel after drinking alcohol.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a lot of people are doing just that. Traffic fatalities spike during certain periods each year, and in 2012 the top 2 holidays where there were the most motor vehicle crashes were Thanksgiving Day followed closely by Labor Day.

This Labor Day, when you’re tempted to get behind the wheel after having only one or two drinks, remember that it’s one of the deadliest days to be on the road. Why not end your summer on a high note instead of in a jail cell and find a sober driver if you’ve been drinking.