The Northeast Florida Department of Transportation District Two Community Traffic Safety Program is excited to promote the annual Celebrate Safely, Designate a Driver campaign. The popular public service initiative was created to help reduce alcohol-related traffic deaths and injuries throughout the holiday season. Together we can make a difference!

During the week of Christmas through New Year’s Day, local establishments are promoting the Celebrate Safely, Designate a Driver program by displaying the materials provided. The 11×17 full-color posters will be displayed in neighborhood restaurants and bars. The stickers are for servers and bartenders to wear, and for sticking onto table-talkers, menus, and bill holders.

If you know any establishments that would like to participate, please place an order online now.  

Celebrate Safely, Designate a Driver packages for bars and restaurants 

Due to the hardships and challenges many local establishments are battling this year with COVID-19, we are not requiring them to provide free nonalcoholic drinks. The following list of participating restaurant and bars have offered to serve nonalcoholic beverages free-of-charge to patrons who identify themselves as the designated driver during the week of Christmas through New Year’s Day.  

List of 2020 Participating Restaurants and Bars:

• Ann O’Malley’s | St. Augustine, Florida
• Grape and Vine Exchange | Jacksonville, Florida
• Homespun Kitchen | Atlantic Beach, Florida
• Jax Beach Brunch Haus | Jacksonville Beach, Florida
• Marker 32 | Jacksonville, Florida
• Poe’s Tavern | Atlantic Beach, Florida
• Salt Life Food Shack | all three locations: Jacksonville Beach, St. Augustine Beach and Fernandina Beach
• The Shim Sham Room | Jacksonville Beach
• The Wine Bar | Jacksonville Beach

Let us know if you or someone you know would also like to participate!

Click on the images below to download and share these free “Celebrate Safely” social media graphics:

The campaign’s “Drive Safe and Drive Sober” message is key at any time of year, and especially during the holidays. If you’ve been drinking, celebrate safely. Designate a driver, call a cab/ride-share/Uber/Lyft, or spend the night where you are.  Make sure to check out the following:
Recipes for the Road: nonalcoholic drinks and safety tips
Mocktails: drink and food recipe cards and videos
Seasons of Safety: traffic safety-themed holiday card collection
Impaired Driving: traffic safety page with more resources and materials

IT’S NOT ALL FUN IN THE SUN

In Florida, you can get a DUI (driving under the influence) if you drive or are in physical control of a vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08% or higher – regardless of whether your driving ability was actually impaired. (Sometimes the term “blood alcohol level” (BAL) is used instead of BAC). However, a driver can also get a DUI for driving while impaired to “some degree” as the result of ingesting alcohol, drugs, or any combination of these.

While most DUIs involve driving, it’s possible to get a DUI in Florida without actually moving your vehicle. Florida law makes it illegal not only to drive a vehicle under the influence, but also to “operate” or be in “actual physical control” of a vehicle in such a state of impairment. So, for instance, an intoxicated motorist who’s found by police slumped over the wheel with keys in hand could be prosecuted for DUI even though the car never moved.

And like all other states, Florida has “implied consent” laws that generally require all motorists lawfully arrested for DUI to submit to chemical testing (blood, breath, or urine) for the purpose of determining the amount of alcohol or drugs in their systems.

Every day, 36 people in the United States die in motor vehicle crashes that involve an alcohol-impaired driver.  This is one death every 41 minutes.  The annual cost of alcohol-related crashes totals more than $51 billion.

Important safety steps we can all take:

• Before drinking alcohol, designate a non-drinking driver within your group.
• Don’t let your friends drive impaired.
• If you have been drinking or using drugs, get a ride home or call a taxi.
• If you’re hosting a party where alcohol will be served, offer alcohol-free beverages and make sure all guests leave with a sober driver.