In the first four months of 2011, the city saw nearly 1,037 road accidents, which injured 1,160 people and killed 208. One of the main causes was drunk driving. Here's a look at organisations that are working hard to show that driving under the influence (DUI) is not cool
In the first four months of 2011, the city saw nearly 1,037 road accidents, which injured 1,160 people and killed 208. One of the main causes was drunk driving. Here's a look at organisations that are working hard to show that driving under the influence (DUI) is not cool
On May 23, multinational alcohol brand Pernod Ricard celebrated Responsib' ALL Day where 18,000 employees over 70 countries (including 650 employees across Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Kolkata) undertook various activities to combat drunk driving. It included signing a manifesto, assembling at city landmarks with banners, launching donation schemes, conducting exhibitions and organising forums. The campaign was targetted mainly at young drivers. 
"It is our duty to set a good example. On Responsib' ALL Day, we remind everybody that the one who drives should be the one who does not drink. We believe that preventive actions are the best tools to combat drunk driving," said Param Uberoi, Chairman, Pernod Ricard India. The world over, DUI is a major problem and celebs including Charlie Sheen and Lindsay Lohan have gained notoriety for being repeat offenders.
According to statistics, motor vehicle collisions are the leading cause of injury-related fatalities in the world. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has projected that traffic injuries will become the sixth leading cause of death by 2020. Realising the critical nature of the problem, the United Nations (UN) has declared 2011-2020 as the Decade for Action in Road Safety.
Interestingly, a lot of alcohol brands are promoting responsible drinking and driving campaigns. While it may seem as a conflict of interest, the justification is what is harmful to the consumer is also harmful to the brand's image. Alcohol brand Diageo has also conductedu00a0 campaigns raising awareness about DUI. In 2010, they partnered with the Institute of Road Traffic Education (IRTE) and traffic police organisations across Indian metros to launch Wheel Watch, an initiative to promote awareness among drivers of buses, trucks, auto-rickshaws and taxis.
They also partnered with the Gurgaon Police Department to execute the 'Delhi 4 Responsible Drinking' campaign during the Commonwealth Games 2010 and have launched DRINKiQ.com, an interactive website that shares information on the effect of alcohol on the human body and aims to raise the collective 'drink IQ'.
It isn't just the MNCs that are working in the field; certain ventures are also targetted at preventing DUI. Started in 2007, Party Hard Drivers was the brainchild of three friends who witnessed near-death incidents due to DUI and started a dial-a-driver service. If you are at a party, you can call them on their landline and within an hour, a designated driver will arrive to drive you home. "We started with just 40 drivers and today we have 200 drivers and cater to customers up to Vashi, Borivali and Thane. Our target customers are in the 25 to 45 age group," said Saurabh Shah, partner at Party Hard Drivers.
Similarly, Safe T Drive by Alex A Miranda was started two years back and currently has 200 drivers across the city. They cater to areas from Colaba to Thane and can reach a location in half an hour. "Our motto is 'don't drink and drive, just call Safe T Drive'. Our drivers drop people home after parties as well as cater to corporate parties," said Miranda.
Did you know?
Motor vehicle collisions cause 1.2 million deaths plus 50 million non-fatal injuries every year. According to the UN, road traffic injuries are the number one cause of death for young people worldwide. In high-income countries about 20% of fatally injured drivers have tested positive for excess alcohol in their blood. In low- and middle-income countries between 33% and 69% of fatally injured drivers and between 8% and 29% of non-fatally injured drivers had consumed alcohol before their crash.
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