Keeping our families safe on the road is a very important task that we undertake as parents. We drive carefully, keep our cars in tip-top shape, and make sure everyone is buckled in safely on each and every trip. Unfortunately, we can’t control what other drivers on the road are doing. We must rely on the police and essential safety equipment, such as red light safety cameras, to help keep us safe.

A recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) found that 113,000 people were injured and 676 were killed in crashes that involved red-light running in 2009 – two-thirds of the victims were pedestrians, bicyclists and occupants of vehicles hit by the red-light runners.

The study also showed that red-light safety cameras helped save more than 150 lives in 14 of the biggest U.S. cities from 2004 to 2008. Had the cameras been operating in all 99 U.S. cities with populations more than 200,000, more than 800 lives could have been saved.

Each time we enter an intersection, our families are at risk of becoming the victim of an accident – whether on foot or in a vehicle. Red light safety cameras help to change driver behavior and reduce the risk to our loved ones, however many people are unaware just how valuable these cameras are to those on the road.

The National Coalition for Safer Roads has created a powerful video, showing just how tragic the consequences of running a red light can be.

You can find the National Coalition for Safer Roads on their website, Twitter and Facebook pages, for more information about this important initiative.

Join the Coalition in spreading this important message. You may save the life of a loved one or spare a family the heartbreak of losing a life to a tragic intersection accident.

Information for this post provided by Global Influence and the National Coalition for Safer Roads.

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Social Responsibility

This phrase encompasses everything from planning the party menu to assessing how guests will get home safely once the party is over. Your role as a responsible party host can keep your friends and loved ones safe.
What Every Host Needs to Know

• Don’t rely on coffee to sober up your guests. Only time can make someone sober.
• Beer and wine are just as intoxicating as hard liquor. A 12-ounce can of beer, a five-ounce glass of wine, a 12-ounce wine cooler and an ounce and a half of liquor contain the same amount of alcohol.
• Don’t rely on someone’s physical appearance to determine if he or she has had too much to drink.
• Mixers won’t help dilute alcohol. Carbonated mixers like club soda or tonic water cause alcohol to be absorbed into a person’s system more quickly. Fruit juice and other sweet mixers mask the taste of alcohol and may cause people to drink more.

Office Parties

• Arrange for discounted or complimentary rooms when a party is held at a hotel so employees won’t drive home impaired.
• Hire a shuttle or limousine service to provide transportation for those that have been drinking. Promote the designated driver concept in party invitations.
• Do not push drinks!
• If you provide an open bar, be sure the bartender has had server training to prevent over-serving and serving guests under the legal drinking age.
• Hold a contest for employees to create non-alcoholic drink recipes.

Having a ball-Planning A Party with Polish:

There’s a reason it’s called throwing a party– a host has to be ready to catch some curve balls and juggle the unexpected when it comes to staging an event that’s fun, entertaining and safe for everyone. Responsible hosts know that part of showing guests a great time is making sure they get home safely. Dealing with safe driving is an important hosting duty so we’ve compiled some quick tips to help you throw a memorably successful party without tossing caution to the wind.

• Plan activities like party games, door prize drawings or amateur fortune-telling. Planned activities engage people, make for less active consumption of alcohol and ensure that your friends remember the great event long after the last piece of confetti has settled.
• As guests RSVP, confirm that at least one person in each group is prepared to be the non-drinking designated driver.
• Provide plenty of food to keep your guests from drinking on an empty stomach.
• Avoid too many salty snacks, which tend to make people thirsty and drink more.
• Offer non-alcoholic beverages or mocktails for designated drivers and others who prefer not to drink alcohol.
• If preparing an alcoholic punch, use a non-carbonated base, like fruit juice. Alcohol is absorbed into the blood stream faster with a carbonated base.
• Be prepared by having the number of a taxi service on hand for those who need a ride. Also, be ready with some clean linens so you can turn your sofa into a hotel for guests who need to sleep it off.

During Your Party-party food:

• Never serve alcohol to someone under the legal drinking age, and never ask children to serve alcohol at parties.
• Don’t let guests mix their own drinks. Choosing a reliable “bartender” will help you keep track of the size and number of drinks that guests consume.
• If a guest appears to be drinking a bit much, offer to freshen his or her drink with a virgin version.
• Do not push drinks! Drinking at a party is not mandatory for having a good time.
• Have fun – but not too much fun. To be a good host, you should stay within your limits in order to make sure your guests stay within theirs.
• Close the bar 90 minutes before the party ends and serve a great dessert treat with coffee. Remember, only time sobers someone who has been drinking.
• If, despite your efforts, some of your guests have had too much to drink, drive them home, arrange for a ride with another guest who is sober, call a taxi, or invite them to stay over.

If a Guest is Drinking Too Much

How do I approach one of my guests who has had too much to drink? I mean, I don’t want to lose a friend.

The first time is the hardest, but your actions could save your friends life or that you cannot let them drive home because you care. Offer to let the guest spend the night, call a cab, or ask a sober guest to drive the intoxicated person home.

• Engage him/her in a conversation to slow down the drinking.
• Offer high protein food.
• Offer to make the next drink and use less alcohol.
• Don’t be afraid to insist that they sit out the sipping for awhile or switch to beverages of the non-alcoholic variety– sparkling cider makes a great substitute for a glass of champagne.

How will I be held responsible if one of my guests is involved in a crash?

The laws vary from state to state, but you could be held responsible for the costs associated with the crash, including medical bills and property damage and be sued for emotional pain and suffering.
Drunk Driving Statistics

• Overall, in 2007, 12,998 people were killed by drunk drivers with a BAC of .08 or greater.
• On average someone is killed by a drunk driver every 40 minutes.
• During the holidays, the percentage of drunk-driving incidents typically increases.
• Find more drunk driving statistics.

What can I do to help stop drunk driving?

• Be a responsible party host by following the tips in this brochure.
• Tie a MADD ribbon to a visible location on your vehicle as a symbol of your commitment to drive safe, sober and buckled up during the holidays.
• Write letters to the editor of local newspapers expressing your concern over the drunk driving problem in your community.
• Get involved – become a volunteer for your local MADD chapter.

Myths and Facts About Drinking and Driving

Myth: Coffee can sober up someone who has had too much to drink.
Fact: Only time sobers. It takes about one hour to oxidize each drink.

Myth: Hard liquor is more intoxicating than beer or wine.
Fact: A 12-ounce can of beer, a five-ounce glass of wine, a 12-ounce wine cooler contain the same amount of alcohol and the same intoxication potential as 1 1/2 oz. of liquor.

Myth: Someone who has had too much to drink will look intoxicated.
Fact: Someone’s physical appearance can be misleading. One drink can impair someone’s ability to drive. Judgment is the first thing affected when someone has been drinking and important motor skills are next.

How to Spot a Drunk Driver

These warning signs should be your signal to take down a license plate number, a description of the vehicle and the direction in which it was traveling to report to the proper authorities. Do not attempt to stop the vehicle.

* Straddling lanes or driving on the center line
* Drifting or moving in a straight line at a slight angle to the roadway
* Driving with headlights off at night
* Erratic braking or stopping without cause
* Driving below the speed limit
* Slow response to traffic signals (sudden stop, delayed start)
* Nearly striking an object, curb, etc
* Weaving or zigzagging across the road
* Driving on the wrong side of the road or completely off the road way
* Tailgating

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