2. 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.
Imagine an empty
This is an aerial view of
amphitheatre at
Undergraduate Commencement
Commencement.
at UMass Dartmouth
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.
3. 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.)
4. 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.
5. Tragedy Strikes Home
• Former UMass
Dartmouth student,
Kristian J. Rose, Jr.,
was killed by a
drunk driver on
July 12, 2011
6. “Turning it Around”
Invitation to Conversations
That Matters Dinner with
Discussed problem of campus administration
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
The Bacchus Network’s friendsdrivesober.org site
was a helpful resource when researching Safe Rides programs/models.
7. “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)
8. “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
9. “Turning it Around”: Next Steps
Developed “Safe Rides
Pledge”
Disseminate “Safe
Rides Pledge” to
campus community
paper
social media
10. “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!
