Alcohol and driving are both everyday parts of life for many adults but they should never happen at the same time. When alcohol and driving mix, the risk of serious harm rises sharply, especially for young people. This site is to help adults make informed choices about alcohol, and one of the clearest choices is this: if you’re drinking, don’t drive.
Road traffic injuries are a leading cause of death for young people, and in Southeast Asia road crashes claim around 2,000 lives every day, with up to 35% of all road deaths reported as alcohol‑related. Evidence shared by Power of No shows that young adults are estimated to be about six times more likely to drink and drive than the general population, even though they are at a stage of life where they are just starting careers, families, and futures. That makes decisions about how you get home after drinking especially important.
Alcohol changes how your brain works, often before you notice obvious signs of being drunk. It can slow your reactions, affect your judgement, and make it harder to recognise and respond to danger on the road. Even when drinking feels “moderate,” these effects can be enough to turn a sudden brake light, a child stepping out, or a sharp bend into a serious crash. That is why Responsible Drinking APAC and its partners highlight drink driving as a clear example of harmful drinking behaviour that must be avoided completely.
Road crashes linked to alcohol are not inevitable. They are preventable when people plan ahead and choose safer options. Young adults across Southeast Asia are among those most at risk from drink driving, but they also have some of the greatest power to change that. Every time you choose not to drive after drinking—or refuse to get on a bike or into a car with someone who has been drinking—you are reducing the chance of becoming part of those statistics and helping to make your community’s roads safer.
Planning a safe way home before you start drinking is one of the most important responsible‑drinking choices you can make. That might mean volunteering to stay alcohol‑free and drive, booking a ride, using public transport, or deciding to stay over so no one needs to drive after drinking. Alcohol and driving should never mix because the cost of getting it wrong is simply too high—for you, for your friends, and for everyone who shares the road with you.
