Anheuser-Busch is opposed to drunk driving and we believe it is 100 percent preventable. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, drunk-driving fatalities have decreased 53 percent since 1982 to record lows, but we recognize there is still work to be done. As part of our effort to prevent drunk driving, we have the following key initiatives:
Anheuser-Busch and our nationwide network of wholesalers implement numerous Budweiser designated driver programs in markets throughout the country that promote the use of designated drivers at bars, restaurants and home gatherings. The program includes national television, radio and outdoor advertising that reaches adults 21 and older with important call to action to “Designate a Driver and Enjoy the Great Times.”
To say “thank you,” our wholesalers work with bars and restaurants to provide designated drivers with free non-alcohol beverages or discounts on food in exchange for refraining from drinking on that occasion and thus helping to make sure the people in their group have a safe ride home.
More than 260,000 safe rides were provided by Anheuser-Busch distributors through cab and shuttle programs in 2011. More than 2.1 million safe rides home have been provided since 1989.
Budweiser Alert Cab brings together local distributors, cab companies, and retail establishments to provide free or reduced-fare cab rides to bar and restaurant patrons. More than 780,000 rides have been provided since 1989.
Budweiser Tow to Go is a partnership with AAA Auto Club South, operating in Florida, Georgia, Tennessee and, Charlotte, NC, through which retailers and consumers arrange for vehicles to be towed home free of charge with the consumer riding in the tow truck. More than 13,500 rides have been provided since 1998.
Anheuser-Busch and our Washington, D.C., area distributors support the Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP), an alcohol-education group. The organization’s SoberRide™ program offers free cab-ride services to adults who may have had too much to drink. Since 1993, SoberRide™ has provided more than 50,000 free cab rides home to area residents, keeping potential drunk drivers off the road. Anheuser-Busch and our Washington D.C.-area wholesalers received the 2010 Corporate Partnership Award from WRAP for our ongoing commitment to helping to prevent drunk driving in the Washington-metropolitan area.
Scooter Programs, sponsored by Anheuser-Busch and our distributors, are available in select markets. If an adult needs a safe ride home, an independent representative rides a foldable scooter to meet the customer at his or her vehicle, places the scooter in the trunk and drives that person home.
Bud Light Lime Water Safety, with support from the National Safe Boating Council, reminds boaters, water skiers and other water recreation enthusiasts to be responsible on the water in all activities. The program includes consumer materials that offer tips on using a designated driver, hypothermia, safety equipment and distress signals.
