If you decide to go out with friends for a night on the town in downtown Charleston, Columbia, or Myrtle Beach, SC, do you have plans to get home safely and avoid a serious impaired driving accident? Regardless of where you live in South Carolina, there are many options to avoid a car crash related to alcohol-impaired driving.
South Carolina DUI laws are severe, and operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol can result in a substantial fine and a period of imprisonment of up to five years, depending upon whether you are convicted of a first or subsequent offense. While a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08 percent or higher means that a law enforcement official in Myrtle Beach can arrest you for drunk driving without any other factors, it is important to remember that even having a BAC of between 0.05 and 0.08 percent can, along with other factors, lead to a DUI arrest.
What are some important alternative ways to get home safely after a night of drinking in South Carolina?
Assign a Designated Driver in Myrtle Beach or North Charleston Before You Go Out for the Night
As a fact sheet from Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) emphasizes, the absolute best way to avoid drunk driving is to “make a plan for a sober designated driver, and make sure everyone agrees to it ahead of time.” Indeed, planning ahead can help to ensure that you do not have car keys in your possession when it comes time to head home and that none of your friends will feel the need to get behind the wheel after having too much to drink.
An article on designated drivers from MADD emphasizes that even a small amount of alcohol consumption can lead a person to have impaired judgment, and as such, “someone who would never consider taking the risk to drink and drive while sober may think differently after drinking.” They might reason that they do not have too far to go, or that they are not intoxicated beyond the legal limit. In many cases, however, impaired judgment leads to a dangerous drunk driving accident that could have been prevented by assigning a designated driver ahead of time.
What are some ways to encourage friends and family members to rely on a designated driver before they leave for a night out? The MADD article makes a great recommendation that could help to prevent drunk driving accidents this holiday season in South Carolina: giving the “gift of a designated driver.” What does this mean? In short, MADD recommends giving friends or family members a themed coupon in which you promise to be a designated driver for a night. You can download a coupon to use as a gift from the MADD article cited above.
If you live in Charleston, you can also rely on “Dryver,” a designated driver service in the area that offers a personal hourly driver for a reasonable cost.
Download Apps in Charleston, Columbia, Clinton, and Myrtle Beach
Even if you do not have a friend or family member who can act as a designated driver, there are a number of apps available that can help to get you a ride home. For example, both Uber and Lyft offer services across South Carolina, allowing persons who have downloaded the app simply to log in to obtain a ride home at a relatively low cost. Indeed, an article on Uber’s website emphasized that the ride-sharing service recently moved to the Charleston, SC area, making it even easier to catch a ride home quickly and easily. Not only can Uber or Lyft help to get you home safely, but these services also can pick you up from your home and take you to your intended location. This way, you do not even have to bring your car keys out with you for the night.
There are also other apps that can help to ensure that you get home safely after a night of drinking. For instance, according to an article in Forbes, an app known as the SaferRide app is “designed to help keep drunk drivers off the roads by allowing them to call a taxi or a friend and by identifying their location so they can be picked up.” As such, even if you drive to a bar or restaurant in Myrtle Beach or Columbia, the SaferRide app can help to ensure that you do not drink and drive in order to make it home.
Contact a South Carolina Car Accident Lawyer
If you or someone you love suffered injuries in a crash caused by an alcohol-impaired driver, an experienced South Carolina car accident attorney can discuss your options with you. Contact Joye Law Firm today for more information.
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