Irvine : Designated-Driver Effort Gets Under Way

Irvine officials on Wednesday called on the city’s 144 restaurants, bars, hotels and clubs that serve alcohol to participate in a “designated-driver” program promoted by Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

The concept behind the program is simple: waiters and bartenders will encourage one person in every group of three or more to not drink alcohol so that person can drive the others home. The designated driver then receives free non-alcoholic beverages for the rest of the evening, as well as a lapel pin.

“Just to say ‘don’t drink’ doesn’t work,” Police Chief Leo Peart said at a meeting at the Irvine Marriott hotel to explain and promote the program. “I think this is a practical program that can work.” Peart said there were three fatal car accidents involving alcohol in Irvine in 1988 and seven or eight in 1987.

“Basically, Irvine (residents are) saying they want their streets safe, and we want to help them,” Sherry Metcalfe, president of the Orange County MADD chapter, said. The city approached MADD about the possibility of working together, she said, and MADD hopes that other cities in Orange County will follow Irvine’s lead.

“Irvine is the first city in the nation to endorse a designated-driver program with MADD,” said Janet Cater, staff director of the Orange County chapter of MADD.

Bruce McKagan, of the Restaurant Enterprise Group, which is introducing the program in Baxter’s, Charlie Brown’s and Reuben’s, said: “The ‘80s made us feel responsible for our customers. . . . We try to get them home safely.”