By being a designated driver, local residents not only avoid putting lives at risk but they get a free pizza and soft drinks/coffee to boot
The new program–sponsored by the Fort Frances O.P.P., the Substance Abuse Prevention Team, Pizza Hut, and local bars–kicked off last week with the aim to reduce the number of drunk drivers on the road.
“We just released our designated driver program in the area,” said O.P.P. Cst. Al MacDonald. “All the bars in Fort Frances have a sign saying they’re part of it.”
Anyone at a bar who is being the designated driver that night can ask for a “I’m a designated driver” pin to wear, which will enable them to receive free soft drinks.
The designated drivers also will receive a coupon for a free medium cheese pizza from Pizza Hut if they fill out a survey card available at the bars which will help determine the demographics of designated drivers.
“I’ll collect the surveys once a week or so and they’ll get a coupon for a free pizza in the mail. We want to see who our designated drivers are here,” noted Cst. MacDonald.
The program was set up for a trial run in Fort Frances with the hope it eventually will become a permanent, self-sufficient program at bars across the district.
The plan is to have designated drivers identify themselves and be recognized by bar staff in order to provide them with free soft drinks or other non-alcoholic beverages on a regular basis.
“We want to have the bars themselves run the designated driver program,” said Cst. MacDonald.
The program’s launch coincided with the O.P.P.’s annual Festive R.I.D.E. program and the local “Grab-a-Cab” program, which has been set up in co-operation with North Air Taxi to get drunk drivers off the road.
Under the “Grab-a-Cab” program, bar patrons who are heavily intoxicated can ask for a five-dollar taxi coupon at the bar.
“There’s no reason for people to drink and drive with the options available,” Cst. MacDonald stressed.