Our view: Sober ride program ensures safety on Kirksville streets

It's good to commend people from time to time. Too often we are complaining about budget cuts or new laws and we forget there are some great people out there doing great things.

Take Stephanie Davis. She is a local bank teller who recently started a sober ride program (see story page 1). She charges $5 to take a carload of up to four people anywhere they want to go within the Kirksville area until 4 a.m. This program is not just for college students. Through fliers, a Facebook page and word of mouth, Davis is providing her services to all Kirksville residents.

This program greatly could improve safety in Kirksville, but also could become a successful business for Davis. She currently is the only driver, but if the program takes off, she could employ more drivers, and it easily could become a profitable business in this college town.

Davis isn't in this for the money. Charging $5 per car will not lead to much profit after the costs of gas and insurance, and she knows that. She said she was tired of hearing about drunk driving accidents and people receiving tickets for drinking and driving because there was no sober ride program in place, and she wanted to help. Whatever her motives, Davis is doing a good thing to help keep the people of this town safe.

No longer will you have to drunkenly get behind the wheel at 2 a.m. to buy the Taco Bell you are craving — Davis will drive you to and from anywhere in the area. No longer will you have to walk home in the rain because you are too drunk to drive — just call Davis. No longer will you have to worry about the police finding you stumbling home after a long night of drinking — Davis can be there, no questions asked.

Truman attempted to start a sober ride program a few years ago, but it was shut down before it even began. Student Senate proposed the idea in fall 2007. They would provide a free ride home for students during weekend evenings. In spring 2008, they began the Safe Rides pilot program, which would give students the opportunity to use the program 10 chosen nights throughout the semester as a trial basis. If it was successful, Student Senate intended to make it a permanent program at the University.

For whatever reason, the program did not become permanent. Truman students have been left to fend for themselves when it comes to finding ways home from parties, and their safety is in danger. Maybe it's because the program would have cost too much. Maybe the University did not want to condone student drinking by giving them the chance to drink and have a ride home without any consequences. Or maybe students didn't show much of an interest in the program, although that's difficult to believe. Whatever the reason, the University not continuing with the Safe Rides program was senseless.  

Kirksville is a college town. No matter how dangerous it is, students are going to drink, and some will drive under the influence. Luckily for us, there is Davis. She is doing something the University wouldn't — providing students, and all Kirksville residents, with the opportunity to have a night of drinking and arrive free of harm.

It's sad that the University couldn't make the effort to ensure the safety of its students by establishing the Safe Rides program, but at least there are community members like Davis who are looking out for the wellbeing of the town.

So thank you, Stephanie Davis. Your kindness and thoughtful ideas are helping to save lives.