Some of the rather creative methods employed by law enforcement and anti-drunk driving groups to deter drunk driving often surprises me. A new tactic by police in Hampton, Virginia is no exception.
The police department has released a car that is half police car and half taxi cab.
On the half of the car that looks like a police car, $8,100 is painted. The number indicates the costs associated with receiving a DUI conviction. On the taxi half of the car, $15 is painted. This number represents the average cost of hiring the taxi to drive a person home when they are too drunk to drive. Needless to say, the point in painting the numbers on the side of the car is to highlight that taking a cab can save a person thousands of dollars.
Frank Azzalina, a spokesman for Yellow Cab of Hampton, said, “It really sinks in, it’s maybe subliminal. It sits in the back of your mind that there are choices when you have a little bit too much to drink.”
The car took to the streets and you can bet that police had a lot of questions about it from people on the street.
"We want everyone to drink responsibly, designate a designated driver or think ahead and call a cab before you get behind the wheel and make that decision," said Sgt. Matt Bond in a video posted by the Hampton Police. “We’re hoping that something like this that can be rolling or also parked outside of an event will give that extra thought to someone before they actually get behind the wheel and drive intoxicated or even buzzed driving.”
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