Date:
2/7/2007
Contact: Wendel Sloan at 505.562.2253
Reporter: Erin Griffith
PORTALES—Eastern New Mexico University's new Safe Ride program, created by the student government (ASENMU), is a transportation service offered to ENMU students.
"The idea was modeled from the Alcohol Prevention Task Force and Texas A&M's Texas Carpool. This program is unique to our institution because of our size and resources," Stephen Frost, ASENMU president, said.
Safe Ride is run completely by students. It is available 24 hours a day, free and confidential. There is both a male and female employee at all times. The student employee picks up the student and will transport them safely home in the Portales vicinity, taking a minimal amount of information.
"The ultimate goal is to save lives and prevent heartaches. When a student is at a party and has a couple drinks they are over the legal limit. When they drive home, there are penalties, whether it is a DWI, or someone's life. The consequences are just not worth it. With this program students can avoid them," Frost said.
According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), in 2005, 2.8 million college students drove while under the influence of alcohol.
"This last semester we lost several students to alcohol-related deaths. It is a problem that affects us all; ASENMU had the opportunity to do something about it, so we took action," Frost said.
The program is not specifically for intoxicated students, but for any student in an unsafe situation that needs a ride home.
For more information call, Stephen Frost at 505.562.2473.