Designated Drivers launches free ride service

By Dave Clark

Tuesday, Dec. 23, 2008 | 2:42 p.m.

Designated Drivers began its 10th annual "Home for the Holidays" program on Dec. 19, where revelers are provided a ride home in their own car for free through Jan. 1.

The kickoff was held at Buffalo Wild Wings on South Eastern Avenue, and Designated Drivers founder Billie Smith said the phone had not yet stopped ringing at 4:30 p.m.

While the program had already given 25 rides that day, Smith said, the initiative was still in need of corporate sponsors and remained roughly $25,000 short of its goal. Many of last year's sponsors pulled out because of the economy, he said. The program is receiving $30,000 in funding from the Department of Public Safety's Office of Traffic Safety.

Although the program was already under way, Smith issued a plea to the business community for financial support.

Nevada Highway Patrol spokesman Kevin Honea underscored the importance of the program.

"We went from 25 alcohol-related fatalities in 2006 to one last year," he said.

Designated Drivers is a 24-hour service that dispatches a team of two to the customer's location. One drives the customer home in his or her own vehicle, while the other follows in a company car.

Honea said the program eliminates any excuse a drinking driver may make for getting behind the wheel.

"The goal here is to make sure no family has to go through the holidays remembering the loss of a loved one," he said.

The program is being advertised with posters, fliers and ice cubes distributed to about 200 locations. The ice cubes contain blue and red flashing lights dropped into drinks to warn potential drunken drivers.