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A safe ride home is now on the menu

May 2, 2018 | 5:32 PM

 

MEDICINE HAT, AB. – The province introduced stricter drinking and driving laws just last month and that has one business in Medicine Hat offering a new service aimed at keeping the community safe.

Kasey Valkenburg with Juggie’s Tap House and Grill said you can now order a safe ride home and add it to your tab.

“We want to make it more convenient, more affordable that anyone can use the service,” he said. “It’s not going to cost them an arm and a leg to get themselves or their vehicle home.”

Valkenburg said in order to do this they have partnered with 24/7 Designated Driver Service. He explained a ride to any where in Medicine Hat will cost customers $15.00, and to Redcliff or Dunmore the fee is $20.00.

“It’s probably the worst nightmare a bar or establishment owner can have,” he said. “One of their patrons leaves and decides to make a bad decision, drives home and hurts themselves or somebody else.”

The province introduced new impaired driving laws that came into effect on April 9, 2018. If drivers have a blood alcohol level .08 or above they could be given a 90 suspension, a mandatory one-year ignition interlock program and criminal charges.

Valkenburg said they started offering the service last week and have had positive feedback from their customers.

Kenneth White with 24/7 Designated Driver Service said he believes making it easier for customers to get themselves and their vehicles home will result in smarter choices. Juggie’s isn’t the only business who sees the value in doing more to encourage people not to drink and drive.

“Currently we have Juggie’s, the Garage and Temptations,” he said. “You can actually put the driver on your tab, it’s actually being received very well.”

White said his company responded to 300 calls for service in April alone.

“Do not get behind the wheel of a car if you’ve been drinking,” he said. “That’s my whole mission, lets not make it easy for people to use.”