Importance of TIPS Training

TIPS trainingAny busy restaurant can get easily overwhelmed with the influx of people coming through the door and sitting down at the bar for a drink. As bartenders and servers busily run about accommodating the requests of each patron, it’s easy for them to overlook the warning signs of intoxication.

After all, people are human. As a species, we make lapses in judgment and fail to stop and think when we really should. While all mistakes are mistakes, some have far bigger consequences than others.

What Is TIPS Training

To prevent these big consequences from occurring, TIPS (Training for Intervention Procedures) was developed to train servers of alcohol on how to detect the warning signs of intoxication in the effort to prevent underage drinking and drunk driving, in which both can be liabilities to your restaurant.

According to their website, TIPS has certified over 4 million participants all across the United States. The course offerings are tailored to your unique needs and can be completed in just a few hours via online video-based software.

Why Should My Employees Take TIPS Training

A TIPS training program provides both you and your employees with a multiple of benefits from both a public safety, legal and insurance standpoint.

  • Employees make better judgments before serving alcohol to clearly intoxicated patrons
  • Reduced penalties for alcohol violations, especially in third-party liquor liability claims where a “reasonable efforts defense” can be used to absolve you of wrongdoing
  • Satisfies state requirements for mandated alcohol server training. Regulations vary from state to state. If you are a Massachusetts based restaurant, the state does not mandate training but some cities/jurisdictions do.
  • Reduces human tragedy, such as injuries or death, as a result of drunk driving

Intoxication and Drunk Driving: A Real-Life Scenario

A young, 25-year-old man walks into a bar and has a few beers to drink on a Friday evening. Over time, the man’s eyelids grow heavy and he slurs his words. However, the man keeps asking for another drink and the bartender obliges.

A short time later, the man exits the restaurant, gets in his vehicle and hits someone head-on in a high-impact collision. The victim suffers serious injuries and files a lawsuit against the driver and the owner of the bar.

The jury in the case finds the restaurant guilty of knowingly serving alcohol to a visibly intoxicated person and mandates that the restaurant pay the plaintiff’s attorney fees.

The outcome costs the restaurant a large sum of money that could have been avoided if the bartender was trained properly via the TIPS program.

Warning Signs of Intoxication and How to Handle Them

If you are ever in a situation where a patron is visibly intoxicated and clearly incapable of driving, you must try to stop that patron from leaving. This not only protects your restaurant, but also the public safety of others on the road.

Have someone call the police and make up an excuse as to why the patron can’t leave the restaurant. A good example is saying that the credit card machine is working improperly and that it will be a few minutes before it’s up and running.

For more questions about liquor liability and how different situations can affect your business, contact Brian Kilcoyne at 617-612-6515 or email him at briankilcoyne@hkinsurance.com.