Club announces TAC partnership

PAKENHAM Racing Club announced a twoyear partnership with the Transport Accident Commission (TAC) last week.
The venture aims to ensure patrons at major racing events are aware of the dangers of drinking and driving home.
The club’s racing manager Michael Hodge said the partnership fostered Pakenham’s focus on the responsible service of alcohol.
“The partnership will help ensure the safety of the Pakenham community members attending the events,” he said. “The aim is not to stop people enjoying a drink at the races, but to ensure racegoers continue to do so in a safe and responsible manner.”
The TAC will provide free breathalysers at bars, corporate marquees, winetasting areas and the entry and exit points for patrons interested in testing themselves throughout the day or before driving home.
A TAC coffee cart will be stationed at entry and exit points for patrons who feel like a break before heading home. Staff can help breathalyse people and arrange alternative transport options for those who are over the legal blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .05 for fully licensed drivers and .00 per cent for probationary licensed drivers.
Signage will remind people not to drink and drive and TAC messages will appear in race books, on the ‘big screen’ and in regional media prior to race days.
Pakenham Racing Club’s proactive approach to liquor management was the catalyst for the highly valued TAC partnership.
TAC chief executive, Stephen Grant, said the aim of the partnership was to encourage racegoers to enjoy themselves, but do so responsibly.
“We want to remind people of the risks associated with drinking and driving, so a great day out doesn’t end in tragedy,” he said.
“It’s difficult to judge your BAC by how you feel, so by providing free breathalysers, people can better monitor and gauge their alcohol intake and ability to drive,” he said.