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New Bay area business targets drunk drivers

Date Posted: Sat, Jun 18 2011, WTSP 10 News - Tampa, FL
Ybor City, Florida - This year alone, 10,839 people will die in drunk driving crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That's one person every 50 minutes.

But a new company based out of Ohio called Be My Designated Driver is trying to change that. George MacDonald works for the company, which is fairly new to the Tampa Bay area. He's been a professional driver for years.

MacDonald says, "I've been hit head-on twice by drunk drivers because being a professional driver I'm out late at night."

Be My Designated Driver has teamed up with bars and restaurants like Ybor Green Iguana Bar and Grill located at 1708 E. 7th Avenue in Ybor City. The hope is to keep drunk drivers off the roadways.

MacDonald adds, "The sad part of it is the person who caused the accident number one doesn't get hurt and number two has no clue that it even happened. Had they used a service like ours that disaster wouldn't have happened."

He admits the service is a little different from calling a cab, though, because they work in pairs. MacDonald says, "We have a team of drivers who will come by, pick you up, and most importantly your car up, and bring you and your car home."

Steve Lavelle is a manager at the Green Iguana Bar and Grill and says most customers who've had too much to drink hate leaving their vehicles behind because they risk receiving a ticket or because their vehicle may be towed. Lavelle says, "There's other programs out there. This one seems to be a little bit more of a favorite because you do get your car home."

Lavelle says that's why he and his employees recommend the service whenever they can. "It's like having a personal chauffeur. It's convenient for a lot of people and it's safer for everybody else."

James Roy was enjoying a beer and a burger with friends after a round of golf in the Ybor City bar and restaurant Saturday. He says in Michigan, where he came from, the service went over well. He says, "A lot of my friends used it. I never personally used it, but it's a great idea."

MacDonald says the service has a flat fee of about $25 and then you pay a mileage charge of about $2.50 per mile for the first ten miles, then $1.50 to $1.75 per mile after that.

Click here to learn more about how to contact or download a mobile app for the Be My Designated Driver program.

MacDonald says, right now, the company operates in 42 cities across 16 states. The owners hope to take it nationwide by the end of 2011.