Beam Global Spirits & Wine and the National Center For DWI Courts Support National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month

DEERFIELD, Ill.--([ BUSINESS WIRE ])--Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. [Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE:FO)], a global leader in premium spirits, and the National Center for DWI Courts (NCDC), a professional services division of the National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP), recognize National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month this December and encourage safe driving this holiday season. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in December 2007, 802 people were killed in crashes that involved a hard core drunk driver or motorcycle rider (operator) with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .15 or higher.

"While we hope people enjoy themselves this holiday season, we want them to be safe and responsible," said Chris Swonger, senior vice president, corporate affairs, Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc. "There is never a reason to drink and drive drunk, and we encourage people to have a designated driver if they do choose to drink."

"We support National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month and hope it brings attention to this problem," stated David Wallace, director of the National Center for DWI Courts. "We work hard to combat hard core drunk driving and hope people will be responsible in their decisions when it comes to alcohol. Designating a driver is one simple way to keep you and your family safe this holiday season and throughout the year."

According to NCDC, designating a sober driver and not letting friends drive drunk are two simple steps to avoid a tragic crash or an arrest for impaired driving. Other important tips include:

Designate a sober driver before going out if you plan to consume alcohol.
Call a taxi or use mass transit to get you home safely if you are impaired.
Use your community's sober rides program.
Promptly report drunk drivers you see on the roadways to law enforcement.
Wear your seatbelt or use protective gear on your motorcycle to defend against an impaired driver.

With more than 17,000 alcohol-related traffic fatalities in the United States every year, Beam Global and NCDC have partnered since 2007 to bring national attention to the effectiveness of DWI Courts in addressing hard core drunk driving. Hard core drunk drivers are drivers with a high blood alcohol concentration of .15 and above and/or are repeat offenders. These drunk drivers are responsible for 58 percent of alcohol-related traffic fatalities and are 380 times more likely to be involved in a crash. Unfortunately, statistics demonstrate that conviction without treatment is not effective in addressing hard core drunk driving. Currently, there are 445 DWI Courts across the country.

About The National Association for Drug Professionals:

The National Association of Drug Court Professionals (NADCP), a not-for-profit organization located in the Nation's Capitol, was founded in 1994 by a group of judicial visionaries to reverse the growing impact of drug-related crime. They created a court model using a combination of accountability and treatment to compel and support drug-using offenders to change their lives. From that vision came the Drug Court movement and the NADCP. In 1997, NADCP and the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) then partnered to create the National Drug Court Institute (NDCI), the professional services branch NADCP.

Today, NADCP is the premier national membership, training and advocacy organization for Drug Courts, representing over 22,000 multi-disciplinary Drug Court professionals. NADCP hosts the largest annual training conference on drugs and crime in the nation and provides 130 Drug Court training and technical assistance events, benefiting tens of thousands of drug court professionals each year. NADCP/NDCI continues to write, publish, and disseminate scholastic and practical publications that are critical to the ongoing growth and fidelity of the Drug Court model and works tirelessly on Capitol Hill and in state legislatures to transform the American justice system through policy, legislation and appropriations.

About Beam Global Spirits & Wine:

Inspiring conversations around the world, Beam Global Spirits & Wine, Inc., is building brands people want to talk about. Consumers from all corners of the globe call for our brands, including Jim Beam® Bourbon, Sauza® Tequila, Canadian Club® Whisky, Courvoisier® Cognac, Maker's Mark® Bourbon, Laphroaig® Scotch Whisky, Cruzan® Rum, Larios® Gin, Whisky DYC®, Teacher's® Scotch Whisky, DeKuyper® Cordials and Liqueurs, Knob Creek® Bourbon and Starbucks™ Liqueurs. Beam Global Spirits & Wine is part of Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE:FO), a leading consumer brands company with annual sales exceeding $8 billion. For more information on Beam Global Spirits & Wine, its brands, and its commitment to social responsibility, please visit [ www.beamglobal.com ] and [ www.drinksmart.com ].

drink smart®

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Beam Global Spirits & Wine and the National Center For DWI Courts Support National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month