What are Designated Drivers?
The varying definition of a designated driver is among the challenges facing researchers who study the effectiveness of designated driver programs. The most common definition requires that the designated driver abstain from alcohol, be assigned before anyone in the group starts drinking, and drive group members to their homes at the end of the event or gathering. Another definition is based on the concept of risk- or harm-reduction. Under this definition, the designated driver needs only to maintain a blood alcohol content (BAC) limit that is under the legal limit. In practice, many people may apply the designated driver concept in ways that are unsafe (e.g., by choosing the person in the group who is least drunk to be the designated driver). Systematic Review of the Research Despite the popularity of designated driver promotion programs, few studies have evaluated their effectiveness in reducing alcohol-impaired driving, according to a report published in the American Journal of Preve
