Lawyer Web Site Aids Designated Drivers

For 12 years, one nonprofit organization has worked to keep the roads safer on New Year’s Eve and other holidays by offering to deliver intoxicated party-goers and their vehicles safely to their homes.

Road Angels, which assisted 428 would-be drunken drivers in Los Angeles, Orange County and parts of Ventura and San Bernardino counties last New Year’s Eve, tonight will get help from Lawyer7.com, a Tarzana-based Internet attorney provider service.

Lawyer7.com will field phone calls at its 12-line phone bank after midnight to assist those needing rides from one of more than 120 Road Angels volunteers on call, said Glen Deel, the company’s vice president.

“We got involved in the program because our owner, Dave Levy, was friends with a gentleman, David Campbell, who died in a DUI accident with Seth Bloomberg, whose mother is MADD co-founder Barbara Bloomberg,” said Deel, who will be serving as one of the operators.

“We’re doing this in their memory and we’ve agreed to donate the room available at the offices of Lawyer7.com,” Deel said. “It’s a painless way to give something back to the community.”

The additional phone lines will increase the service’s ability to answer about 50% more calls, said Eric Oster, founder and president of Road Angels.

Last year, the lack of phone lines made it difficult for callers to get through, said Oster, adding that the organization received five times as many as it had ever received in one night as a result of greater media exposure.

“We had enough volunteers to assist those needing help but phone lines were busy,” he said. “The phone was ringing off the hook and we got calls days later from people who said they couldn’t get through.

“Because of this, we are very grateful for the extra lines and it will definitely help.”

Those needing assistance can call Road Angels at (800) LA-ANGEL.