CLEAR COALITION
Together We Can Make a Difference We also need restaurants, bars, and wineries to help by serving alcohol responsibly to their patrons and making sure they do not serve someone who has obviously already had too much. Napa Valley is a world class destination for food and wine, with some of the best restaurants and wineries in the country. Let’s also be the lead in keeping our community safe. As a premier wine-producing region, we have a special duty to ensure that alcohol is used and served responsibly. The CLEAR Coalition encourages all Napa County businesses that are licensed to sell alcohol to: What is Responsible Beverage Service Training?
Comprehensive RBS Programs Benefit Communities and BusinessesNumerous studies demonstrate that comprehensive Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) programs that include employee training, management policies, and compliance checks, help prevent and reduce alcohol-related problems such as sales to intoxicated patrons, DUI crashes, and underage drinking. See the following link for an article from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. http://www.nhtsa.gov/people/injury/alcohol/impaired-drivingusa/US.pdf. Not only do RBS programs promote the health and safety of the general public but they also support and protect businesses. RBS training teaches business employees what laws and regulations are already in place and how to sell or serve alcohol accordingly. Benefits to businesses include: · Attracted better customers and increased profits; · Reduced risk of legal complications; · Increased eligibility for legal mitigation; · Accessed opportunities for discounts on insurance premiums because of reduced · Improved public perception of the alcohol sales and service industry.
Alcohol-involved collisions are preventable, but we need the whole community to come together and take action in order to make a real difference. Individuals need to take personal responsibility not to drink and drive and make sure their friends don’t drink and drive. Local agencies need to educate the community about the dangers of drinking and driving and the laws. Law enforcement officials need to continue the excellent work they do to enforce DUI laws.
We are very lucky that the majority of Napa Valley businesses are very responsible in the way they serve and sell alcohol. However, for the past few years, 35% of people who have been arrested for DUI in Napa County reported that their last drink was at a licensed establishment in Napa County (Napa County Place of Last Drink Survey 2008-2011). If we can reduce the number of intoxicated patrons leaving retail establishments we can make a difference in reducing our DUI collisions.
1) Ensure that all sellers, servers, managers and licensees attend California Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) approved Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) Training and
2) Develop plans and management policies to support and monitor the implementation of Responsible Beverage Service Practices at their business.
Click here to learn how to access ABC approved RBS trainings: RBS Approved Training Providers
Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) training educates servers, sellers, managers and licensees to serve/ sell alcohol responsibly and according to current laws and regulations. RBS classes are typically 2 to 4 hours long, depending on whether they are for on-sale establishments, off-sale establishments, or special events. Trainees learn about:
· Improved customer service;
risk; and