Anthony Madaffari•23 Jun 2019
FEATURE
The designated driver checklist for a safe night out
So it's a Saturday night and you’ve found yourself to be the responsible designated driver for your crew. Don’t sweat it.Your night can still be fun and enjoyable and if anything quite cost effective. There are some basic rules your passengers must adhere to because at the end of the day, they owe you one. Also it is some handy reading to ensure that it is a fun and safe night out for all.
But first let’s start with the perks of being the designated driver for your crew
- No hangover. We’ve never met a person who loves them
- All your soft drinks and club and bar entry is to be paid for by your passengers. This rule should go without saying. Also the money you spend to operate the car and deliver the passengers to and from your night out is easily covered.
- People watching. Watching a group of equally intoxicated people attempt to interact with each other can be highly engaging. Grab your Lemon Lime & Bitters and enjoy the show.
The rules for the passengers
- Passengers must be on time and ready to go when the driver says. Pulling a Houdini and not answering your phone when it’s time to go is fair reason for the designated driver to leave you behind, like the phone charger you always accidentally leave behind.
- Passengers must not touch the stereo in the car on the journey home. At 3am a designated driver is certainly not in the mood for loud music when operating a vehicle.
To make sure the drive home with your rowdy and unruly passengers goes smoothly, we’ve listed the in-car must-haves for any designated driver
- Have some strong double-bags for your passenger's just in case vom. There’s a reason Taxis and Ubers charge a couple of hundred dollars for any ‘incidentals’ late at night.
- Have a packet of mints ready because bad breath is never a good thing in small spaces
- Water bottles for driver and passengers because hydration is important
- Keep a few gold coins in the car for any potential Maccas drive-thru purchases
- Know where your passengers live…this will be helpful for a smooth drop off and also for any potential communication break downs…
- Tolerance. It’s important to stay calm, no matter how annoyingly drunk your passengers might be. If they do get on your nerves, a tip is to remind yourself how sick they’ll be feeling in the morning and how you’re going to wake up fresh. It’s oddly effective.
Safe travels and enjoy your night out!
Related: The five types of passengers we've all had in the car
Related: ADVICE: Think before you drink
Related: Self-driving cars to boost drink-driving
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Written byAnthony Madaffari
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Please see our Editorial Guidelines & Code of Ethics (including for more information about sponsored content and paid events). The information published on this website is of a general nature only and doesn’t consider your particular circumstances or needs.
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