Everyone learns by the end of freshman year that frat parties get old. Off-campus parties and clubs in Boston call upperclassmen away from the hill for their weekend nighttime kicks. But when everyone is drinking and the T closes at 12:30 a.m., what's a student to do?
Programs like soberRide, Inc., which is sponsored by the National Commission Against Drunk Driving, have been established in several cities for special events like New Years Eve and St. Patrick's Day. The Boston/Cambridge division offers free rides up to $35, but the rider must be at least 21 years of age.
According to an article in Time Magazine, companies are turning up around the country to offer paid designated-driver services specifically aimed at college students who may not necessarily be of drinking age. The drivers bring customers home in their own cars, keeping scooters in the backseat to get from pickup to pickup.
Getting in trouble for driving drunk can be an expensive mistake - the designated driver services appearing around campuses offer a low-cost alternative, especially considering the legal fees and general losses incurred after a drunk driving conviction.
In Massachusetts, a first offense DUI incident can result in fines of up to $5,000 and jail time of up to 2.5 years. The state also suspends the driver's license for one year. Further offenses may put the driver in jail for up to five years, call for fines of up to $50,000, and require permanent suspension of the license.
Avoiding financial penalties is not the only reason students would be attracted to unconventional ways of getting home. The danger of accidents and injuries also prevent students from planning to drive home drunk. But since the designated driver is usually a member of the group that goes out, so why would students want to pay for one? A designated driver may end up drinking despite his or her designation.
"Planning doesn't always go the way it's supposed to," sophomore Molly O'Neill said.
According to sophomore Julia Brown, a student-run paid designated driver service might become a popular means of getting partiers home safely.
"People might use it, especially if it was associated with the Tufts campus," she said. "They'd probably be more willing to use a campus-run system with other students driving, because everyone would know each other and feel more comfortable."
