Why is having a designated driver a common harm-minimisation strategy?

• A. Ensures a sober person is responsible for driving, reducing injuries and crashes
• B. Allows more drinking
• C. Slows down the car
• D. Violates local laws

Answer: (A)

Having a designated driver focuses on reducing harm from drinking by ensuring the person behind the wheel is sober. Alcohol impairs driving skills—judgment, reaction time, coordination, and perception—so a driver who hasn’t been drinking is much less likely to be involved in a crash. By having a sober person responsible for driving, the risk of injuries to the driver, passengers, and others on the road is significantly reduced. This approach fits with harm minimisation because it allows people to socialise and drink with a safer outcome, through planning and responsibility rather than trying to drink and drive. It doesn’t aim to let people drink more, slow the car, or violate laws, which is why it’s the most fitting strategy here.