Safe Rides Program 2012 YOUTH-Turn It Around Awards Contest

Impaired Driving & College Students

• 23% college students report driving after drinking any alcohol; 3.1% college students report driving after consuming 5 or more alcoholic beverages

• How many students does this represent at UMass Dartmouth? – 2,169 students drove after drinking any alcohol

– 292 students drove after consuming 5 or more alcoholic beverages

• Impaired drivers are of risk to themselves and others – Each year, 1,825 college students between the ages of 18 and 24

die from alcohol-related unintentional injuries, including motor vehicle crashes

– At UMass Dartmouth, this number is approximately equivalent to the number of students in any given class year.

This is an aerial view of

Undergraduate Commencement

at UMass Dartmouth

Imagine an empty

amphitheatre at

Commencement.

This is what 1,825 empty

seats—the equivalent of

the number of college

students who die each

year from alcohol-related

causes—would look like.

Peer to Peer Education Efforts

• Two established peer-led efforts to address unsafe alcohol use and impaired driving at UMass Dartmouth – Peer Health Educators

– UMADD UMass Against Destructive Decisions

• Both groups focus on harm/risk-reduction – Encourage designated sober drivers, safe

alternatives (public transportation, cab, etc.)

Our Problem

• Safe driving alternatives are limited

– No nighttime bus or shuttle service

between campus and popular downtown

(bar) area.

– Local taxi service overburdened with

demand on Thursday-Saturday nights =

long waits for, or no availability of, cabs.

Tragedy Strikes Home

• Former UMass

Dartmouth student,

Kristian J. Rose, Jr.,

was killed by a

drunk driver on

July 12, 2011

“Turning it Around”

Discussed problem of students’ alcohol use and associated harms with campus leadership at Conversation That Matters Dinner

Researched other campus “Safe Rides” programs

Met with Campus Services to discuss various transportation options for the “Safe Rides” program

Invitation to Conversations

That Matters Dinner with

campus administration

The Bacchus Network’s friendsdrivesober.org site

was a helpful resource when researching Safe Rides programs/models.

“Turning it Around”

Established student organization to advocate for the development of a “Safe Rides” program at UMass Dartmouth

– Bus service between campus and popular downtown

Safe Rides Constitution (Student Organization)

“Turning it Around”

Student Activities, Involvement, & Leadership (SAIL) Office developed impaired driving prevention video clip (Corsair Clip) featuring campus mascot • Video created by student

Matt Dean in memory of Kristian J. Rose, Jr. (1990-2011)

Distributed impaired driving prevention Corsair Clip via Facebook & closed circuit campus TVs

“Turning it Around”: Next Steps

Developed “Safe Rides Pledge”

Disseminate “Safe Rides Pledge” to campus community paper

social media

“Turning it Around”: Next Steps

Collaborate with campus departments (Health Services, Public Safety, Campus Services/Transportation, etc.) to develop “Safe Rides” pilot program

Develop budget for “Safe Rides” pilot program

Request funding from Student Government Association to support “Safe Rides” pilot program

Launch pilot program

Evaluate pilot program

Modify and institutionalize program

Don’t Risk It, Ride It!