The concept of the Responsible Young Drivers is quite simple. You call 02/513 39 94 and they will pick you and your car up to take you home safely. “It is mainly an emergency solution,” says Yentl Huybrechts, himself one of the drivers. “We cannot guarantee that we can take all the people home. We do our best, that’s all we can do. We would prefer to come up with our own solution to avoid getting into traffic drunk, but we are there if necessary.”
There used to be a few hundred volunteers, now only 24 throughout Flanders. The action on New Year’s Eve is therefore rather symbolic. The Responsible Young Drivers now focus on raising awareness earlier during the year. “We go around schools, so we provide the information when they are young. That creates a feeling of responsibility, so that later in life they realize better that that is not possible.”