With Thanksgiving behind us and the Holiday season upon us, the question after accepting an invitation for a night on the town becomes, “Can we afford not to designate a driver, take a cab or have a plan?”

The cost to society for those who drink too much and drive is high. There could be financial or moral consequences that one must face…. the shame and lack of judgment that we have to live down. Being impaired and deciding to drive because we’re too concerned about how we look to others, is not a good reason for acting uninhibited or believing we are invincible. It’s a dangerous mix.

It seems more people are, in fact, making the designated driver choice, in advance. According to an organization called Doctors for Designated Driving, over nine out of 10 Americans who attend social events where alcohol is served would like to see designated drivers used. And the proportion of people using or being a designated driver has increased dramatically over time. Each year over 73,000,000 Americans either serve as a designated driver or are driven home by one. Designated drivers have probably saved over 50,000 lives and spared hundreds of thousands of people from suffering injury from drunk driving.

You’re better off doing the right thing. Before drinking, stop and think. Think about how you’re going to get home, who could be the designated driver, do I have enough money to take a cab home. In this manner, you’ll still have your dignity, your license, and the peace of mind that you did the right thing. After all, don’t you want to go out partying all over again?