CRA - CRA, Office of Traffic Safety join forces to promote responsible holiday alcohol consumption

CRA, Office of Traffic Safety join forces to promote responsible holiday alcohol consumption

Campaign encourages bars and restaurants to showcase materials on DUI dangers

The California Restaurant Association (CRA) has partnered with the California Office of Traffic Safety to promote anti-drunk driving messaging in bars and restaurants throughout the state. The campaign launched with a press event Dec. 16 in Sacramento featuring a mocktail recipe competition among popular local bartenders.

“The California Restaurant Association is committed to promoting anti-DUI efforts and asks our members to do the same,” CRA President + CEO Jot Condie said. “While alcohol sales are important to restaurants, the promotion of responsible drinking, and serving, are always top of mind for our restaurants.”

Operators may offer drink coasters and display window clings in support of the newly launched RUOK? Anti-Drunk Driving campaign. The materials include a QR code linking users to a GPS-enabled cab-finder mobile website, where users can search for a cab using the GPS function or by providing their Zip or area code. (Click here for information on ordering materials.)

“We value our partnership with the California Restaurant Association and appreciate the efforts it has put in place to support anti-drunk driving and responsible drinking,” said California Office of Traffic Safety Director Christopher J. Murphy. "We look forward to working with them in 2012 to secure many more partnerships with member restaurants, and reach even more people with important anti-DUI messages."

The RUOK? campaign is designed to reach patrons through educational materials at the time and place where there is a higher risk of getting behind the wheel drunk. The creative campaign asks inane questions, such as “What's the best way to get better at air guitar?” to highlight the idiocy similar to asking someone who is drunk if they are OK to drive.

“The Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control wholeheartedly supports the OTS anti-drunk driving campaign and the partnership efforts with our agency and the California Restaurant Association,” said Jacob Appelsmith, director of the California Alcoholic Beverage Control. “It has long been ABC’s mission to protect the safety of the public. These partnerships help to ensure that the state of California is properly educated on responsible consumption and service of alcoholic beverages.”

During higher enforcement efforts, such as the one taking place Dec. 16 to Jan. 1, the California Highway Patrol sets up hundreds of DUI checkpoints across the state and every year thousands of people are cited for DUI.

More Results: