Avoiding drink driving starts before the first drink. Planning ahead means you can relax and enjoy your night without putting yourself or anyone else at risk.
1. Decide your transport plan first
Before you think about where you’re going or what you’ll drink, lock in how you’ll get home.
- Choose a sober designated driver and agree they won’t drink at all.
- If everyone wants to drink, plan to use public transport, a rideshare app, or a taxi and check the last‑service times.
- If you’re going to a friend’s place or somewhere out of the way, talk in advance about staying over so no one needs to drive.
- Share your plan with your group so it’s normal and expected that no one drives after drinking.
Once you’ve decided not to drive, stick to it—don’t change the plan at the end of the night when your judgement may already be affected by alcohol.
2. Make a personal alcohol plan
Planning how you’ll drink makes it easier to stay in control and avoid “one more” turning into too many.
- Set yourself a limit for the night and tell a friend you trust.
- Pace yourself by aiming for no more than one standard drink per hour and avoid rounds or drinking games that make you speed up.
- Alternate alcoholic drinks with water or other alcohol‑free options to stay hydrated and slow down.
- Eat before and while you drink—food slows the absorption of alcohol and can help reduce your peak blood alcohol concentration.
Keeping track of how much you drink helps you stay aware of your intake and reduces the chance of underestimating how affected you are.
3. Remove the “maybe I’ll just drive” option
If you still have your car with you, it’s easier to tell yourself you’re “probably fine” to drive—even when you’re not.
- Whenever you plan to drink, leave the car at home and travel to the venue by public transport, taxi, or rideshare.
- If you must drive early in the day, park somewhere you’re happy to leave your car overnight and get a ride home later.
- Give your keys to a trusted friend who has agreed they won’t return them if you’ve been drinking.
Taking away the option to drive makes it much more likely you’ll stick with the safer choice you made before you started drinking.
4. Agree your “no lift from a drinker” rule
Avoiding drink driving isn’t only about your own choices; it’s also about not getting in a vehicle with a driver who has been drinking.
- Make a clear rule with your friends: no one gets in a car, on a bike, or on the back of a scooter with a driver who’s been drinking.
- If a friend who has been drinking wants to drive, offer alternatives—call them a ride, help them arrange to stay over, or suggest leaving the vehicle and collecting it the next day.
- Back each other up so the safest choice becomes the expected one, not the awkward one.
This shared rule can prevent you from feeling pressured to accept a risky lift at the end of the night.
5. Practical tips you can use tonight
Here are concrete steps you can put in place before your next night out:
- Book your ride home in advance (favourite taxi number, rideshare app ready, public transport times saved).
- Nominate a sober driver in the group and confirm they’re happy not to drink.
- Eat a proper meal before going out and plan a snack for later.
- Decide how many drinks you’ll have and how fast you’ll have them, and stick to that decision.
- Alternate every alcoholic drink with a glass of water or a non‑alcoholic drink.
- Leave your car at home when you know alcohol will be involved.
- Save a couple of emergency contacts in your phone you can call if your plans change.
If you’re heading out with friends this weekend, what’s the one transport decision you can make now so driving after drinking simply isn’t an option?
