SINGAPORE: With the festive season well underway, some nightlife operators are going the extra mile to prevent customers from driving while under the influence of alcohol.
This comes as the number of drink driving accidents rose from 88 in the first half of 2023 to 96 in the same period this year – a 9.1 per cent increase. Of the 96 cases, nine led to deaths.
The Singapore Alliance for Responsible Drinking (SARD), which includes members from various nightlife and beverages associations, urged people not to consume any alcohol if they are driving.
For non-drivers, the alliance also advocates responsible drinking via a social media campaign targeted at young consumers.
One of its initiatives is a calculator that helps users check whether they are staying within the national drinking guidelines.
HealthHub recommends that men consume a maximum of two standard drinks a day, and women consume no more than one drink a day. A standard drink counts as a 330ml can of regular beer, half a glass – or 100ml – of wine, or a shot – or 30ml – of spirit like vodka or gin.
Meanwhile, binge drinking equates to five standard drinks or more for men, and four or more for women in one drinking session.
Users of the calculator – which can be accessed through the alliance’s website – have to pick what they are drinking, as well as the serving size and the alcoholic strength of their beverage.
“Obviously, if you're choosing to drive home on your own, we advise you not to drink and drive,” said Olivia Widen, director of the Asia Pacific International Spirits and Wines Alliance, a member of SARD.
“But if you are opting for an assisted driver home, or going home with a friend or taking a taxi, you can pull out the standard drinks calculator and effectively just measure your drinking throughout the night so that you stay within the guided national drinking thresholds.”
Members of SARD include those in Ms Widen’s alliance, as well members of the Singapore Brewers’ Alliance and the Singapore Nightlife Business Association.
Mr Dennis Foo, an advisor to the association, said the answer to curbing drink driving offences lies not in reducing nightlife activities but in educating those who head out to drink.
This is the second year that the association – which represents about 600 food and beverage, entertainment and nightlife outlets in Singapore – is participating in the annual Anti-Drink Drive Campaign organised by the traffic police and Singapore Road Safety Council.
To that end, bars and nightclubs across Singapore are also playing their part by displaying anti-drink driving posters prominently in their premises.
"Awareness can be created by signage, posters, education,” said Mr Foo.
“Nowadays, the bartenders … can actually interact with customers and tell them about the dangers of driving. And sometimes, if they spot somebody who is tipsy or in a stupor … they can ask them: ‘Are you driving?’ A simple gesture like that (can serve) as a reminder,” he added.
An anti-drink driving sign outside cocktail bar Skinny's Lounge in Boat Quay.
Mr Foo said bar owners can also remind their customers of the penalties for drink driving, which were raised in 2019 to reflect the seriousness of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
First-time offenders can be fined up to S$10,000 (US$7,400) or sentenced up to a year in jail, or face both punishments. They can also be disqualified from driving for a minimum period of two years.
The legal alcohol limit is 35mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath, or 80mg of alcohol for every 100ml of blood.
Aside from raising awareness, some valet providers said more can be done to incentivise bars and nightclubs to ensure their patrons do not drink and drive.
Ms Rajvinder Kaur, owner of Valet 4 U, said she hopes for such services to be regulated by authorities.
“Maybe the government can work with the bars and KTVs (karaokes), these nightlife establishments, on how to regulate such valet services. Maybe there (can be) some cash back for the bars or KTVs, if let’s say (they) engage the valet services on behalf of their customers,” she added.
Ms Kaur said that her business offers “a small incentive” to staff at bars and clubs who help customers call for their services.
“It’s a win-win situation. Their customers will still have their (driving) licence, they can always come back to drink, and then (the staff) also earn a bit of incentive. We also get new customers,” she added.
Even with all these measures in place, nightlife operators say the onus is ultimately on customers to ensure that they stay safe while enjoying their night out.
Mr Foo cautioned that drivers should remember it is not whether they will be caught drink-driving, but when they will be caught.
“I think the bigger problem is really stubborn customers. Some people just want to drive and take the risk personally,” he added.
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This comes as the number of drink driving accidents rose from 88 in the first half of 2023 to 96 in the same period this year – a 9.1 per cent increase. Of the 96 cases, nine led to deaths.
The Singapore Alliance for Responsible Drinking (SARD), which includes members from various nightlife and beverages associations, urged people not to consume any alcohol if they are driving.
For non-drivers, the alliance also advocates responsible drinking via a social media campaign targeted at young consumers.
One of its initiatives is a calculator that helps users check whether they are staying within the national drinking guidelines.
HealthHub recommends that men consume a maximum of two standard drinks a day, and women consume no more than one drink a day. A standard drink counts as a 330ml can of regular beer, half a glass – or 100ml – of wine, or a shot – or 30ml – of spirit like vodka or gin.
Meanwhile, binge drinking equates to five standard drinks or more for men, and four or more for women in one drinking session.
Users of the calculator – which can be accessed through the alliance’s website – have to pick what they are drinking, as well as the serving size and the alcoholic strength of their beverage.
“Obviously, if you're choosing to drive home on your own, we advise you not to drink and drive,” said Olivia Widen, director of the Asia Pacific International Spirits and Wines Alliance, a member of SARD.
“But if you are opting for an assisted driver home, or going home with a friend or taking a taxi, you can pull out the standard drinks calculator and effectively just measure your drinking throughout the night so that you stay within the guided national drinking thresholds.”
Members of SARD include those in Ms Widen’s alliance, as well members of the Singapore Brewers’ Alliance and the Singapore Nightlife Business Association.
DRIVING UP AWARENESS
Mr Dennis Foo, an advisor to the association, said the answer to curbing drink driving offences lies not in reducing nightlife activities but in educating those who head out to drink.
This is the second year that the association – which represents about 600 food and beverage, entertainment and nightlife outlets in Singapore – is participating in the annual Anti-Drink Drive Campaign organised by the traffic police and Singapore Road Safety Council.
To that end, bars and nightclubs across Singapore are also playing their part by displaying anti-drink driving posters prominently in their premises.
"Awareness can be created by signage, posters, education,” said Mr Foo.
“Nowadays, the bartenders … can actually interact with customers and tell them about the dangers of driving. And sometimes, if they spot somebody who is tipsy or in a stupor … they can ask them: ‘Are you driving?’ A simple gesture like that (can serve) as a reminder,” he added.
An anti-drink driving sign outside cocktail bar Skinny's Lounge in Boat Quay.
Mr Foo said bar owners can also remind their customers of the penalties for drink driving, which were raised in 2019 to reflect the seriousness of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
First-time offenders can be fined up to S$10,000 (US$7,400) or sentenced up to a year in jail, or face both punishments. They can also be disqualified from driving for a minimum period of two years.
The legal alcohol limit is 35mg of alcohol per 100ml of breath, or 80mg of alcohol for every 100ml of blood.
COULD INCENTIVES WORK?
Aside from raising awareness, some valet providers said more can be done to incentivise bars and nightclubs to ensure their patrons do not drink and drive.
Ms Rajvinder Kaur, owner of Valet 4 U, said she hopes for such services to be regulated by authorities.
“Maybe the government can work with the bars and KTVs (karaokes), these nightlife establishments, on how to regulate such valet services. Maybe there (can be) some cash back for the bars or KTVs, if let’s say (they) engage the valet services on behalf of their customers,” she added.
Ms Kaur said that her business offers “a small incentive” to staff at bars and clubs who help customers call for their services.
“It’s a win-win situation. Their customers will still have their (driving) licence, they can always come back to drink, and then (the staff) also earn a bit of incentive. We also get new customers,” she added.
Even with all these measures in place, nightlife operators say the onus is ultimately on customers to ensure that they stay safe while enjoying their night out.
Mr Foo cautioned that drivers should remember it is not whether they will be caught drink-driving, but when they will be caught.
“I think the bigger problem is really stubborn customers. Some people just want to drive and take the risk personally,” he added.
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