The Responsible Young Drivers (RYD) – an action group that promotes road safety among younger people – were present last night in 3 Brussels and Walloon party venues for the European Night Without Accident (NESA).
Their mission? To educate partygoers on getting home safely. Of the 110 people who were tested by breathalyzer, 85% were “safe” and therefore fit to drive again. This year, two nightclubs (Trébuchet in Ciney and Doktor Jack in Braine-l’Alleud) and a festival (Francofaunes) had agreed to collaborate with the RYD.
“In general, the presence of the RYDs was perceived positively both by disco managers and by partygoers”, the association commented. As part of this action, young people who signed up to drive wore a bracelet throughout the evening. When they left, they were asked to blow into a breathalyzer. “Those who were ‘safe’ received a bag filled with small gifts as a reward."
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Alternative arrangements were made for those who did not pass the breathalyzer, such as leaving with someone else or calling a taxi. “At Francofaune the approach was a little different because we distributed chemical breathalyzers. This allowed one hundred people to be checked”, an RYD press release read.
The initiative aims to help young people become aware of the importance of systematically appointing a responsible person to bring the whole group back and thus reduce the number of accidents related to drunkenness. The “Nuit sans accident” initiative was first launched in Belgium in 1995 and was extended to the whole of the European Union in 2003.
