EUROPEAN NIGHT WITHOUT ACCIDENT The European Night Without Accident is an awareness campaign organised each year in nightclubs all over Europe on the 3rd Saturday of October. In each nightclub, a team of volunteers welcomes the drivers at the entrance and encourages each group to choose a “designated driver”, who agrees to make a promise: he commits himself to remain sober when he enters behind the wheel of his vehicle. The volunteers ask them to wear a bracelet to be recognizable. When the “designated drivers” leave the nightclub, we give them the opportunity to undergo a breath analysis and/or a drug test to check if they have honoured their commitment. If this is the case, the “designated drivers” are rewarded with small presents offered by our partners and sponsors. If this is not the case, we encourage the person to leave his/her car on the side or to hand the keys to a friend who did not drink any alcohol. Our goal is not to be repressive or to spread a negative message; on the contrary we always try to go into the discussion with the group in order to find the most reasonable solution to arrive home safely. Why that specific night? Nowadays, despite the fact that more and more people are choosing a “BOB” (designated driver) to be able to go out, have fun, and go back home safely. Alcohol remains a big issue on the road, and still too many drivers get behind the wheel under its influence. Friday nights and Saturday nights are the most dangerous nights of the week. Despite that, the number of cars on the road is smaller than during any other daytime, and still, those nights show a high level of car accidents. In 2009, thanks to the support of the European Commission, the nightclubs’ owners, and the volunteers, we were able to organize this action in about 200 nightclubs in 25 European countries. This night represents a unique opportunity for the volunteers to have an interactive contact with thousands of young people. Last year, no less than 12 000 young people have taken part in our action and have accepted to wear a recognizable bracelet (sign of his/her undertaking). Among them, 80% did respect their undertaking to stay under the legal limit when they went back home. A sample of drivers were also asked to undergo a drug test in a limited number of nightclubs, to show their friends that they are clean drivers. To go further in our strike, we are planning to reach much even more European drivers. The European Night Without Accident will take place for the first time in the whole European Union in 2010. There will be more than 220 nightclubs participating, involving more than 600 volunteers, spread all over Europe. Therefore we are surely expecting even better results… The undertaking of remaining sober is as simple as that! So just do it… ’Cos life is much too beautiful!
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