SOLOMONS, Md. - Bob Hall, LLC and Anheuser Busch, working together with the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office, the Calvert Alliance Against Substance Abuse and the Calvert County Traffic Safety Council is sponsoring a Designated Driver program to be held during the annual opening of the Tiki Bar this weekend. The program will run Friday, April 20 and Saturday, April 21 from noon to 10:00 p.m.
Three retailers on Solomons Island, the Tiki Bar, Catamaran’s, and Bad Fish Bar & Grill, will participate in the program. These establishments will offer free snacks and nonalcoholic beverages to designated drivers who sign up at the kiosk located in the Designated Driver booth beside the Tiki Bar and the Law Enforcement tent.
Designated drivers will receive a wristband, keychain and magnet at sign-up. Each location will have a treasure chest of hats, coolers, radios, sling bags, t-shirts and seat caddies that designated drivers will have the chance to win throughout Friday and Saturday.
Designated drivers will also sign a pledge card, which will be entered into a drawing for the grand prize of four tickets to Busch Gardens in Williamsburg. Sheriff Mike Evans will draw the grand prize ticket during a ceremony at the Sheriff’s Office on Monday, April 23 at 10:00 a.m. The public is invited to attend.
According to Debbie Jennings, Traffic Safety Council Coordinator, alcohol or drug impairment was involved in half (11 of 22) of the crash fatalities in Calvert County in 2006. Calvert is one of the 10 Maryland counties (#8 on the list) that are overrepresented in DUI crashes, injuries and fatalities. There are approximately 800 DUI arrests each year in Calvert county and 90 DUI arrests for teens and young adults under age 21.
The Calvert County Sheriff’s Office, as well as law enforcement from neighboring jurisdictions, will be conducting DUI saturation patrols both Friday and Saturday night.