Smart Serve Transportation Safety and Getting Patrons Home Safely 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is a primary responsibility of a server when an intoxicated patron states they plan to drive home?
- Call the police immediately without speaking to the patron
- Offer to arrange alternative transportation for the patron (Correct answer)
- Continue serving alcohol to keep the patron calm inside
- Ask other patrons to physically stop the person from leaving
Correct answer: Offer to arrange alternative transportation for the patron
Offering alternative transportation is a proactive and legal step that fulfills a server's duty of care to prevent patrons from driving while impaired.
Question 2: Which of the following is the safest transportation option to arrange for an intoxicated patron?
- Allowing the patron to drive slowly on back roads
- Suggesting the patron walk home regardless of distance
- Calling a licensed taxi or rideshare service for the patron (Correct answer)
- Having another patron who has been drinking drive them home
Correct answer: Calling a licensed taxi or rideshare service for the patron
Calling a licensed taxi or rideshare completely removes the impaired driving risk by providing a sober, professional driver.
Question 3: What is a designated driver program?
- A program where establishment staff drive patrons home after closing time
- An arrangement where one person in a group abstains from alcohol to safely drive the others (Correct answer)
- A taxi subsidy service funded by the liquor board
- A police-led escort program for intoxicated patrons
Correct answer: An arrangement where one person in a group abstains from alcohol to safely drive the others
A designated driver program works by having one member of a group voluntarily stay sober to drive the others home safely.
Question 4: How can an establishment most effectively encourage patrons to use a designated driver?
- By charging designated drivers higher prices for non-alcoholic beverages
- By offering free or discounted non-alcoholic drinks to designated drivers (Correct answer)
- By refusing entry to anyone who is not drinking alcohol
- By requiring groups to register their designated driver at the door
Correct answer: By offering free or discounted non-alcoholic drinks to designated drivers
Providing incentives like complimentary non-alcoholic beverages rewards the designated driver and promotes the practice throughout the group.
Question 5: If an intoxicated patron insists on driving despite a server's concerns, what should the server do FIRST?
- Physically block the patron from reaching their vehicle
- Attempt to delay the patron inside and immediately notify management (Correct answer)
- Call 911 before taking any other action
- Ignore the situation since the patron is legally an adult
Correct answer: Attempt to delay the patron inside and immediately notify management
Delaying the patron and notifying management allows time for a more senior response and keeps the situation calm before escalating to emergency services if needed.
Question 6: Which of the following actions is legally appropriate for a server trying to prevent an intoxicated patron from driving?
- Physically blocking the patron's car in the parking lot
- Forcibly removing the patron's car keys from their possession
- Calling 911 to report a potential impaired driver (Correct answer)
- Deflating the patron's tires to prevent the vehicle from moving
Correct answer: Calling 911 to report a potential impaired driver
Calling 911 is a legal, appropriate step that notifies authorities; physical interference with the patron or vehicle could expose the server to legal liability.
Question 7: Why is it valuable for servers and establishments to maintain a list of local taxi and rideshare contact information?
- To earn referral commissions from transportation companies
- To quickly arrange safe transportation for patrons who should not drive (Correct answer)
- To avoid having to call emergency services in any situation
- To keep track of patron travel patterns for marketing purposes
Correct answer: To quickly arrange safe transportation for patrons who should not drive
Having transportation contacts readily available allows servers to act quickly when a patron needs a safe ride home, fulfilling their duty of care efficiently.
Smart Serve Transportation Safety and Getting Patrons Home Safely 1
What is a primary responsibility of a server when an intoxicated patron states they plan to drive home?