It’s the time of year for holiday parties, New Year’s parties and just old fashion get-togethers. Here at BarWhiz we love a good party – you should have seen our office party last week, woo-wee! I don’t think those interns will be coming back next semester.

Anyway, we are all about the party, but we are also a strong advocate of drinking responsibly and of course always having a designated driver – whether you call a taxi, take public transit, or God forbid, call your Mom on Christmas Eve to come pick you up from the bar (long story) – drinking and driving is never a good idea. Not only do you run the risk of losing your license, but more importantly, when you get behind the wheel drunk you endanger the lives of everyone around you, including your own.

Although we fully support and encourage the designated driver program, we still like to take the time to poke fun at those who lost the bet, or the rock-paper-scissors toss, and ended up being the one to abstain for the night.

So without further adieu, here are the top 10 ways to tell who is the designated driver:

#10 – The only guy who doesn’t want to drive to the girl’s college, the Playboy Mansion or the Lost City of Gold.

#9 – The only guy in the whole bar who is drinking a Shirley Temple.

#8 – The only guy who keeps ordering virgin Vodka and Red Bulls.

#7 – The only guy who is not telling everyone how much they love them.

#6 – The only guy who hasn’t fallen off of his barstool at least once.

#5 – The only guy who isn’t trashing the bar.

#4 – They only guy who thinks it’s not a good idea to dance on the table.

#3 – The only guy who hasn’t passed out at the bar.

#2 – The only guy that is not trying to start a fight.

#1 – And the #1 way to tell who is the designated driver: They will always tell you.

All fun aside, having a designated driver is extremely important, and here’s an infographic from TotalDUI.com that explains why:

from Total DUI

About the Author
Corey Rozon is a freelance writer from Ottawa, Canada.

We hear it time and time again, “Don’t drink and drive.” Each year there are thousands of deaths and injuries attributed to drunk drivers. Yet in spite of this, many take their lives and the lives of others into their hands by getting behind the wheel after enjoying a drink or two, or more.
Bar Whiz trusts that our readers are smart enough to hand the keys to someone else. For those who still think it’s worth the risk (or have an extreme invincibility complex), here are a list of states where the punishment for a DUI is pretty severe.

1. Washington State
1. Legal limit: .08
2. Fines: Up to $5000
3. Jail time: Up to 1 year
4. Drivers License: Suspended for 90 days even if not convicted

2. Virginia
1. Legal limit: .08
2. Fines: Minimum $250
3. Jail time: None
4. Drivers License: Revoked for one year with or without conviction

3. Georgia
1. Legal limit: .08
2. Fines: $300-$1000
3. Jail time: 10 days – 1 year
4. Drivers License: Suspended for one year

4. Arizona
1. Legal limit: .08
2. Fines: $250 fine plus $1000 in assessment fees
3. Jail time: Minimum 10 days
4. Drivers License: Suspended for one year for refused breathalyzer test. Installation of ignition device (breathalyzer device that won’t start car if you’ve been drinking)

5. Alabama
1. Legal limit: .08
2. Fines: $600-$2100
3. Jail time: Up to one year
4. Drivers License: Suspended up to 90 days

6. Massachusetts
1. Legal limit: .08
2. Fines: $500-$5000
3. Jail time: Up to two and a half years
4. Drivers License: Suspended for one year

7. Texas
1. Legal limit: .08
2. Fines: Up to $2000
3. Jail time: 72 hours – 180 days
4. Drivers License: Suspended for one year plus fees of up to $2000/year for 3 years to keep it
These DUI penalties are all for first offenses. If they are that bad the first time around, just imagine how much worse they get for those who refuse to learn their lesson. And this is just one part of the punishment. Auto insurance companies have their own individual, and costly, punishments for those convicted of a DUI.

The moral of the story is simple: Instead of hoping that you don’t get caught, just get a taxi.