Safe Rides
From AODWiki
Safe ride programs are designed to reduce the likelihood that someone will drive drunk or impaired. They work by providing an alternative transportation home. These programs have been implemented in a number of different ways. Some programs are simply subsidized taxi services or van-shuttle services. A bar patron may call for the ride, or an establishment may make the call. This approach is in contrast to a Designated Driver program that relies on someone from the drinker's group to serve as the sober driver. A different safe ride incarnation supplies a driver for the drunk person's own car. Usually this means that a sober-driver arrives with a partner. The sober-driver drives the patron's car, and the partner drives a following car. An example of this approach is the confusingly named Designated Driver Association. An innovative spin on this concept is the Home James approach that supplies drivers on foldable scooters, eliminating the need for a following car.
Program Examples
Designated driver is a term used to signify a driver who is sober and capable of legally driving their passenger(s) who are possibly unable to drive themselves home safely because they are under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The importance of prohibiting drivers from attempting to drive home drunk is astounding. Drunk drivers cause an estimated 20% of automobile fatalities.1
The Designated Driver Association 2 (DDA) is a program that is offered in large cities to assist drunk drivers in finding an alternate and safe route back to their home. One such program in San Diego, CA is highlighted below.
The goal of the program is to protect the potentially dangerous driver and the other drivers, as well as pedestrians that may be harmed. The program is nowhere near its potential impact on the San Diego area, and is always seeking more sponsors and volunteers. The system is proven to work according to a study that reported 44% of the people who were picked up by the program claimed that they would have driven home under the influence if they had not known about the program.3 This proves the impact the program has already provided since the San Diego chapter's formation in 2002.
The program has already safely assisted 10,000 people who felt unable to legally drive themselves home.4 This is not counting the numerous pedestrians and surrounding traffic that were kept safe by the designated driver.
How the Program Works: The program offers its services from 10pm-2am every Friday, Saturday, and holidays. All the designated drivers are volunteers, yet many of them receive tips. Designated driver teams work in pairs. One member drives the potentially drunk driver in the intoxicated person's car, while the other follows in the designated driver's car. The pairs of designated drivers patrol mainly around bars and common drinking spots to try to provide a convenient and fast response. Volunteer designated drivers are background checked for criminal records, and their driving records are examined to ensure they are safe drivers. A driver that calls the service qualifies to be driven home if they have an insured car with them, are over the age of 21, and need to be driven to their home which must be in San Diego County. The service is free up to 15 miles, but if the drive home is over 15 miles, a $20 donation is requested, and $40 for 25 miles. The donation guideline is set up to provide the gas used up by the volunteer providing the service.5 The program is aimed at male drivers who are between the ages of 21-29, because this is the population that is proven to be at the greatest risk of driving under the influence.6
The DDA has received widespread support and recognition in the local community. It has received nine awards including the 2002 Community Heroes Award, which is sponsored by Volunteer San Diego and the San Diego Padres.7 The program currently has 13 corporate sponsors that provide for the needs of the DDA.
Program Evaluations
There have been few evaluations of the effectiveness of safe-ride programs. Published studies have tended only to describe the populations who use safe rides (e.g., Sarkar, Andreas & de Faria, 2005, Lange, Henry & Reed, 2005). While these studies demonstrate that safe-ride users tend to be impaired, they do not answer important questions about effectives. For instance these questions remain:
- Do safe-ride programs prevent drunk driving? Or would these riders have found an alternative way of avoiding drunk driving?
- Do safe-ride programs encourage excessive drinking?
References
Lange, J.E., Henry, S. & Reed., M.B. (2005, May 25-27). Evaluating a safe-ride program with ride-along breath-test surveys. Forum poster presented at the 13th Annual Meeting of the Society for Prevention Research, Washington, DC.
Sarkar, S., Andreas, M., and de Faria, F. (2005). Who Uses Safe Ride Programs: An Examination of the Dynamics of Individuals Who Use a Safe Ride Program Instead of Driving Home While Drunk. American Journal of Drug & Alcohol Abuse, 31(2), p. 305-325.
1) http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/DrinkingAndDriving.html
3)http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0978/is_2_31/ai_n13795649/pg_7
4)http://www.ddasd.org/index.shtm
5) http://www.ddasd.org/about_how.shtml
6) http://www.ddasd.org/about_unique.shtml
3)http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0978/is_2_31/ai_n13795649/pg_7
