Proposed program would give rides home to URI students after drinking

03/23/05 - In response to Rhode Island having the highest percentage of traffic-related deaths due to alcohol in the nation, a group of University of Rhode Island students are proposing Rhody Rides, a $66,280 program to provide students with rides home after drinking. "We believe Rhode Island has terrible driving statistics," organizer Judy Duhamel said.

She cited statistics from Mothers Against Drunk Driving that show that in 2003, 55 percent of all traffic accidents in Rhode Island involved alcohol.

The program would operate Thursday through Saturday from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Students in Narragansett who cannot safely drive will be able to call student volunteers at headquarters and request a ride home. Headquarters would then dispatch one of six cars, rented through Enterprise, to pick them up. For added safety, only trained 21-year-old student volunteers would drive and a member of the opposite gender would accompany each.

The proposed program is closely modeled after a similar program at Texas A&M University that has provided over 60,000 rides.

Duhamel, a student senator, said she plans to introduce a bill at tonight's URI Student Senate meeting asking for a referendum to increase the student activities tax by $8 next year to help fund program costs such as renting the cars, purchasing staff shirts, communications equipment, insurance and other items. The $8 would be in addition to the $7 increase students approved in February's senate election.

Senate President Kevin Lopes said he is hesitant to support such a costly program.

"Increasing the student activities tax is a very serious matter," Lopes said. "We already planned to go to the [Rhode Island] Board of Governors [for Higher Education] with this [$7] increase. I don't know how susceptible the Board will be to two tax increases."

President-elect Pat Mills expressed similar concerns.

"I support the program," Mills said, but "if we go back to the students and ask them for another increase, I don't think that's fair ... unfortunately [Rhody Rides] came to the student senate a little late."

Mills added that any increase would need to be approved by five percent of the student body and it may be a challenge to get enough students to vote.

Previously, Academic Affairs Committee Chairwoman Julia Monaghan said Mills and Lopes were too concerned about appearance and not concerned enough about students' safety.

"[Duhamel is] trying to start a program to save lives, and Kevin Lopes and Pat Mills blocked [her] because they didn't want to look bad," she said. "The big argument [at an Executive Committee meeting three weeks ago] was 'we're not going to do this because the Cigar will have a field day if we fail."

The BOG, which has final authority over any fee increase, has yet to approve next year's fees.

"We can meet their deadline," Duhamel said. The group is prepared to present a proposal to the BOG and has enough support to pass a referendum.

Lopes said he was also concerned about the program being untested.

"I think it's a great project ... [but] I am a little apprehensive about funding a program of this magnitude ... because it hasn't been tested," Lopes said. "I wouldn't want to have $67,000 of students' money locked up in a program that might fail."

Lopes said he would support the program if it were funded on a trial basis through means other than a permanent tax increase. This may include a tax grant, private donations or money from university administration.

However, Duhamel said there is money available and an $8 increase is minimal since the service would be free for students.

"I don't want to take money away from the groups but I feel this is a valuable way to allocate student money," Duhamel said. "I feel [Rhody Rides] would take precedence over the various parties [senate] fund "

Duhamel said the senate should give money to programs such as Rhody Rides that serve the entire campus population. It would be better than spending money on events and groups that do not serve all students, she said.

"It's proven to be successful and it's a proven need," she said. "It's been implemented at five colleges and it's had nothing but success."

University administrators support the idea but said issues needed to be addressed.

Dean of Students Fran Cohen said that at a meeting with the President Robert L. Carothers about the issue, "There was some support and there was some concerns as you would expect about liability issues and enabling people to drink more than they would normally."

Cohen said the administration worried the program would give students incentive to drink more because they had a safe ride home. Also, it may be seen as the only way the university is addressing drunk driving.

Cohen also said there are liability issues. Representatives from Rhody Rides will be meeting with Safety and Risk Management staff to review the program, Duhamel said.

Duhamel said she is also seeking support from the Narragansett Police Department and URI-Narragansett Coalition.

"We support a program that's going to keep drunk drivers off the road," Narragansett Police Lt. Dean Hoxsie said. However, that support does not mean the department supports underage drinking, he said.

Community Police Officer and coalition member Scott Vellone said he personally supports the program concept but the coalition and town may be resistant.

"People with rational level heads would think it's probably a good idea, but when it comes to underage drinking, the town is very adamant. They don't want underage drinking," Vellone said. "They have that zero-tolerance mentality. If there's underage kids drinking why are we not reporting them?"