2021 DRINK RESPONSIBLY

By Melissa Dowling

Being the designated driver may be a noble endeavor , but it isn ’ t all that much fun to abstain from alcohol when you ’ re out on the town with a group . Touch of Texas , a country western-themed club in Bunker Hill , WV , understands this , and aims to reward those who “ take one for the team .”

Touch of Texas , a 6,000-sq . -ft space that opened in 2017 , features a full bar with nightly specials , contests , theme nights , concerts and more . Designated drivers not only receive free admission and free non-alcoholic beverages , they can also enjoy free rides on the bar ’ s mechanical bull , plus a 25 % discount on appetizers . The bar ’ s door staff will provide DDs with a VIP wristband that gives him or her the perks all night .

What ’ s more , the Touch of Texas website includes a plethora of helpful information for designated drivers . For instance , the Making Plans section advises : “ Be sure that the vehicle you will be driving has enough space for everyone in your party . And make

sure that everyone chips in for gas money .”

The Tips and Tricks section states that : “ It might help to sip something that looks or even tastes like your favorite alcoholic drink . Enjoy some seltzer and cranberry in lieu of a cosmopolitan , or have a non-alcoholic beer . Keeping a drink in your hand will help you feel more like you ’ re part of the party and will also prevent others from sending you a drink or giving you a hard time about not drinking .”

Other tips for designated drivers : Eat a big meal before heading out . “ If your stomach is full , you will feel less inclined to have a filling beer .”

And stay busy and away from the bar . “ If you remove yourself from the area where booze is being served , you won ’ t be tempted to order any . Stay busy on the dance floor , playing pool or darts or meeting new people . Staying occupied and away from temptation will strengthen your resolve to stay sober .”

The Touch of Texas also proclaims the designated driver is “ the hero of the evening .” By agreeing to be the designated driver , “ you are selflessly taking on the responsibility of remaining sober and ensuring that your friends or family members get home safely . You are preventing potential injuries , DUIs , traffic accidents or even deaths by driving sober .”

Finally , the site says , “ The gratification of doing the right thing and protecting the people you care about is worth more than risking it all for a cocktail , don ’ t you think ?” We do .

Bars , restaurants , beverage alcohol retailers and other businesses that check IDs for name or age verification can soon expect to see customers start coming in with mobile driver ’ s licenses . The Utah Driver License Division ( DLD ) in late March announced it has launched a mobile driver license ( mDL ) pilot for offering driver ’ s licenses and ID cards on mobile phones .

The pilot will demonstrate improvement in citizen privacy and security , while highlighting the convenience and safety of tap-and-go transactions . Utah DLD enlisted GET Group North America and its technology partner , Scytáles , to provide GET Mobile ID , an ISO 18013-5-compliant application that puts an official driver ’ s license or ID Card on a citizen ’ s smartphone . The Contactless ID document can be verified with a tap or scan and is accepted worldwide using any ISO 18013-5-compliant reader .

The technology enables businesses to minimize the exchange of physical credentials and the germs that come with them , as well as create more personalized customer experiences and verify identity information with a way that ’ s nearly impossible to forge . For consumers , the new mDLs are a secure , contactless digital form of ID that gives them control of their identity data and lets them choose the personal information they share with businesses .

The pilot began with about 100 select participants , and will expand to 10,000 — including the broader public — during 2021 . Utah businesses can participate in the pilot to accept mDLs now and prepare for when mDL is available to all state residents .

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