SACRAMENTO, Calif. – California State Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez Fletcher (D-San Diego) Wednesday won the full Assembly’s overwhelming approval of her legislation aimed at curbing drunk driving in California. Assembly Bill 1221 was approved on a bipartisan vote of 56-0.
“We need to do everything we can to prevent drunk driving. This simple training program will instruct servers on how to spot when a customer has had too much alcohol to drink. Bars and restaurants should be making sure their customers aren’t putting others at risk.” Assemblywoman Gonzalez Fletcher said.
AB 1221 directs the Department of Alcohol Beverage Control to develop a Responsible Beverage Service training module that servers would be required to complete before being able to serve alcohol to patrons. The training program will offer a comprehensive understanding of the effects of alcohol on the human body, relevant state laws on serving and consuming alcohol, and how to identify when a customer has had too much alcohol to drink.
Approximately 140,000 Californians were arrested for driving under the influence last year. Over 29 percent of traffic deaths were caused by drivers with a blood alcohol content above the legal limit of .08 percent.
Many bars are guilty of over pouring. That should be looked to also. San Diego’s idea of keeping bars open longer is a bad idea as well. Only restaurants open after 2 AM.
Why don’t bartenders take all car keys (put in a locked box) give patrons the only key to the box behind the bar! When patrons leave if too intoxicated to drive (they will not be given their car key but must keep.the key to the box) they have 5 options: uber, cab, bus, walk or someone picks them up.
They will be given their keys 8 am the following morning..
OPTION: a waiver must.be signed prior to entrance of bar.
RESTAURANTS W/CHILDREN that serve alcohol. NO ALCOHOL SERVERED. unless there is a designated driver that must go through the same process as above will be checked upon leaving in order to get car keys.