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Why Safe Rides Unlimited is a perfect mix of safety and responsibility

Moe Sattar — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 02:56:38 +0000

Recently a study was conducted to see if people who use a FREE safe ride drank more. We at safe rides believe that offereing FREE safe rides is not the answer since it leave people with more money and a greater incentive to start abusing alcohol. The key is to find the right balance between making the rides as cost effective as possible, while still allowing people to enjoy the night out. below is the article that was found on ScienceDirect.com

Do drivers drink more when they use a safe ride?

Wayne M. Harding^,^,^a^,^b, Barry D. Caudill^c, Brent A. Moore^c and Kevin C. Frissell^c

^a Social Science Research and Evaluation, Inc., 21-C Cambridge Street, Burlington, MA 01803, USA

^b Harvard Medical School, Cambridge, MA, USA

^c Center for Studies on Alcohol, Westat, Rockville, MD, USA

Abstract

Purpose: Offering drinkers free safe rides (SRs) home can prevent DWI, but some suggest that it may also promote excessive drinking. Methods: Forty-two respondents to surveys completed by 472 drinkers in barrooms reported that they used a SR during the first 9 months they were offered. Results: Their usual estimated blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was significantly greater when they used a SR than on all occasions when they drank outside their homes. However, only 24% of respondents increased their usual BAC from a “low risk” category (BAC<0.10) when drinking outside the home, to a “high risk” category (BAC≥0.10) when using a SR. The majority (72%) of respondents did not change their BAC categories. One decreased his/her BAC from ≥0.10 when drinking outside the home to <0.10 when using a SR. Implications: These findings, coupled with data showing that respondents tended to use SRs infrequently (3.69 times per year), reduce concerns about the mean increase in their BACs when using SRs. Findings do not, however, resolve the issue of whether respondents whose drinking increased when they used a SR did so because a SR was available, or decided not to drive because they drank more. Recommendations for improving SR programs are discussed.

Author Keywords: Safe rides; Driving while intoxicated; Barroom surveys; Blood alcohol concentration

Article Outline

1. Introduction
2. Method 2.1. Context of data collection 2.2. Barroom surveys 2.3. Survey content
3. Results
4. Discussion
Acknowledgements
References

“Drunk Driving Doesnt Start With A Drink…It Starts With An Excuse”

Moe Sattar — Sat, 20 Sep 2008 02:52:38 +0000

That’s the new catch phrase in the Kahlua advertisements. They could not have been more correct. Drunk driving does start with an excuse “I’m not going to drink too much therefore its ok if I drive” “I’ll have one of my friends drive on the way back” “I’m not that drunk” “I’ve driven when I was in much worse shape so I’ll be ok”, the list can go on forever. However the most important excuse has become embedded into our psyche “I don’t have any other way of getting to and from the club”. In a survey conducted by SRU over 90% of people going out claimed how else would they get to and from the club. These individuals claimed they didn’t think any drunk driving incident could happen to them. Worse yet all of the individuals claimed campaigns that instruct us to be responsible drinkers never even became a thought when going out. Lately alcohol industry has been placing messages at the end of their commercials such as “Drink Responsibly” etc. When we asked, students remembered the ad but surprisingly said they didn’t remember the drink responsibility part or they didn’t really pay attention to it. They all remembered the rest of the ad. It seems that these drink responsibly ads have become more of a formality than to have an actual effect and therefore are being ignored.

Moe Sattar Founder of Safe Rides Unlimited said “All the messaging campaigns are great but they don’t really give us an actual alternative.” He also stated that “college students and general public are more than accepting of a real solutions. The proof of such a statement is in the phone calls that come in by the hundreds from people praising our services and making safe ride reservations.”

The bottom line in this whole thing is this. Drunk driving can be reduced to nearly non existent if advertisers realize that instead of wasting money on messages, lets provide people with a choice. A choice that would allow people to make the right decision. A choice that will be a lot more effective in reducing alcohol industry liabilities. A choice that will be profitable to all parties involved from the users to the providers. A choice that will make people responsible for their actions instead of blaming them on lack of alternatives. Safe Rides Unlimited is a testament to such a choice.

Lets allow our minds to become creative so we can get away from talking and start taking action. Lets explore options and with that we will have made the greatest change in the old mentality. A Mentality that did not allow you to even think about any available alternatives to a mentality that knows that we can be safe and have fun by simply using Safe Rides Unlimited.