A plan made before a gathering can make a safer choice easier, but it cannot decide whether a person is impaired or guarantee what will happen. This guide is about arranging a ride-home and communication plan before an event where alcohol or another impairing substance could be present.

Make the transportation decision before leaving

NHTSA’s teen-driving guidance encourages parents and teens to set clear driving rules and to discuss alcohol and drug use before handing over the car keys. Before the event, agree that a teen will not drive after drinking or using another impairing substance and will not ride with a driver who may be impaired. Identify a specific lawful ride home, such as a parent or guardian, another sober adult, a rideshare or taxi where available, or another option the family has decided is appropriate.

Set a contact plan that works in an uncomfortable moment

  • Choose at least two designated adults or other approved contacts and save their current phone numbers.
  • Agree on a simple message or call a teen can use to ask for a ride without needing to explain the situation in detail first.
  • Decide where the teen can wait in a safer location while arranging the ride, rather than leaving with a possibly impaired driver.
  • Keep the phone charged and consider how the teen can share a location with the designated contact if that is part of the family’s plan.

Keep the conversation focused on the next safe choice

NHTSA’s drunk-driving guidance advises planning a sober ride before drinking. A parent or guardian can make clear that getting home safely takes priority over embarrassment, secrecy, or a change of plans. This does not require a teen to estimate a blood-alcohol concentration, judge another person’s impairment, or decide whether a particular substance is safe to drive after using.

If a situation becomes immediate

If someone has already started driving, a person is in immediate danger, or a safe ride cannot be arranged, move toward a safer location when possible and contact emergency services or a designated adult. Do not try to manage a possibly impaired driver from a moving vehicle or treat this general guide as emergency or medical instructions.

Keep the legal and family-rule questions separate

North Carolina G.S. 20-138.3 addresses driving by a person under 21 after consuming alcohol. Its definitions, exceptions, and application depend on the statute and the facts, so this page does not interpret a charge or predict a legal consequence. The related Teen Driving Ground Rules: A Family Conversation Checklist covers broader family driving rules. Questions about a Charlotte car-accident claim are fact-specific and outside this prevention guide.

Sources