Designated young drivers took part in a "stay alcohol and drug free" night in Cork at the weekend as part of a new road safety initiative.
The Liquid Lounge Nightclub in Clancy's bar, Havana Brown's nightclub and Riordan's pub in Cork city centre joined with SG One in Fermoy on Saturday night to implement "European Night Without Accidents".
The Irish part of the European initiative was organised by the Road Safety Authority, the Cork border organisation Co-Operation and Working Together and the Cork marketing partnership Cork City Cares.
Designated drivers in all four Cork venues were given wrist bands to show their intention to stay alcohol free for the night. When leaving the nightclub/bar the designated driver was invited to be voluntarily breathalysed for the presence of alcohol and or drugs. Designated drivers who had positive results for alcohol or drugs were encouraged to find alternative means of getting home.
Local Traffic Corps gardaí and volunteers from colleges in the area took part in the initiative.
The night was reportedly a great success. However, a spokeswoman said a breakdown of the numbers of people who participated in the night and the results of their tests wouldn't be available until a full campaign report was compiled.
This is the first year that Ireland has participated in the initiative which was launched by the Responsible Young Drivers Group in Belgium in 1995. Some 180 nightclubs across Europe took part.
It is just one of a range of initiatives and measures undertaken by Cork City Cares.
Currently 75 per cent of all pubs, clubs and late night bars, 90 per cent of off-licence retailers and a significant number of fast food and late night retail outlets in Cork city centre have signed up to the Cork City Cares code of practice.
The code includes implementing such measures as the use of security staff deployed to the outside of premises at the close of the evening to keep a watchful eye on patrons heading home, training of staff in the HSE "responsible serving of alcohol" programmes as well as controls on underage drinking.
Earlier this month Cork City Cares launched a LateLink, a pilot late night bus service on two city routes to Douglas and Bishopstown, the success of which will lead to additional routes.
The project is also working to deliver a marshalled taxi rank to encourage more taxis into the city centre in the early hours of Saturday and Sunday and provide a monitored and serviced taxi rank.
Cork City Cares has gained considerable recognition across the country in recent months with other Irish towns, cities and suburbs contacting the Cork Marketing Partnership office seeking advice and guidance in setting up similar projects.
The project is spearheaded by Cork City Council, an Garda Síochána, the HSE, publicans and night club owners, Heineken Ireland and Cork Marketing Partnership.