State leaders raise awareness for drunk driving during Designated Driver Appreciation Week

MOUNT PLEASANT, S.C. (WCBD) — Ahead of the holidays, advocates for victims of DUI crashes are partnering with state leaders to remind South Carolinians of the risks of drunk driving.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving South Carolina (MADD), in collaboration with Governor Henry McMaster, have declared Dec. 11-17 South Carolina’s first ever Designated Driver Appreciation Week.

The week is dedicated to thanking designated drivers for doing their part in preventing drunk driving accidents.

“Every drunk driving crash is preventable. That’s why designated drivers are so important,” said Steven Burritt, executive director for MADD South Carolina. “People just have to separate their decision to drive from their decision to drink alcohol.”

South Carolina is traditionally one of the nation’s worst states for impaired driving — a trend that traces back decades, and got even worse during the pandemic, Burritt said.

“We really need to refocus on everything we can do for traffic safety, and we know that a huge percentage of those fatalities are caused by drunk drivers,” Burritt said.

Burritt said 2021 was the deadliest year on South Carolina roads to date, and 2022 is projected to be the second-worst year.

“We have drunk driving fatalities equal to or higher than states that have, literally, in some cases, millions more people than we do,” Burritt said. “So, we know we can do better, and we have to be committed to do better.”

Plus, Burritt added that the risk of getting in a DUI crash is higher than normal during the holidays, when more people are out celebrating with friends and family.

This week, MADD is calling on the hospitality industry to take part in thanking designated drivers by making certain drinks, like sodas or “mocktails,” free to designated drivers.

If your restaurant would like to participate, or if you’d like to learn more about Designated Driver Appreciation Week, click here.

Program leaders encourage people to use the hashtag #DDAWSC22 to raise awareness on social media.