According to PR Newswire, the Beer Institute, in recogniton of National Alcohol Awareness Month, emphasized the long-term commitment of brewers and importers to reduce underage drinking and drunk driving. As an industry, they have made significant investments in public safety, education and prevention campaigns.
Anheuser-Busch has created a Family Talk Facebook Page to provide resources to encourage open and honest communication between children and parents about alcohol responsibility. Through the company’s We I.D. program, AB and its family of 600 wholesalers has trainings and tools to help retailers serve and sell alcohol responsibly.
MillerCoors surpassed its One Million Strong commitment in 2010 by encouraging consumers to not drive drunk by either planning ahead for a ride home thorugh the Miller Lite Free Rides program, calling 1-800-TaxiCab or taking a pledge of responsibility on GreatBeerGreatResponsibility.com.
Heineken USA offers support for Taxi Magic, a nationally accessible Smartphone application connecting consumers to local taxicabs. They are also a founding member of the Health Alliance on Alcohol, offering free resources to parents and mentors to encourage discussions with teens about various alcohol issues.
Crown Imports works to include an element of responsible programming in major sponsorships like the U.S. Open of Surfing, which draws over 500,000 spectators, by providing free shuttle bus service and taxi vouchers for surfing fans.
Joe McClain, president of the Beer Institute, said “While there is always more to do to reinforce the message of responsible drinking, we want to note the positive results that have been achieved, which speak to the effectiveness of the partnerships among industry, government and others in combating underage drinking and drunk driving.”
The Centers for Disease Control found that underage drinking among high school students has decreased 16.4 percent between 1999 and 2009. The U.S. Department of Transportation reported drunk-driving fatalities fell to a record-low level in 2009.
