Turtle Taxi saves lives

January 12, 2009 by Abby Johnson 

Sorority program aims to prevent drunk driving

The sisters of the Delta Zeta sorority do not mind waking up to a 3 a.m. phone call on the weekend.

These calls are not from a sister in jail for a DUI or in the hospital for a drunk-driving accident. These calls are for a sober ride.

Sororities on campus such as Delta Zeta and Alpha Gamma Delta have been preventing their members from drinking and driving by creating programs to get them home safely. The most recent of these programs is Delta Zeta’s “Turtle Taxi.”

Fallon Miller, 19, Delta Zeta’s former risk manager, worked with other members of her sorority to come up with Turtle Taxi after hearing about other Delta Zeta chapters taking similar actions. 

Turtle Taxi is a program in which members of the Delta Zeta sorority take turns being a sober driver every weekend to prevent people from drinking and driving.

“Drunk driving is a serious issue and our way of preventing it in our chapter is to assign two sisters per weekend to have a designated cell phone and be sober for the weekend,” Miller said. “If a situation was to arise with a sister who could not drive home, they would call the sober sisters to take them home.” This program has so far been successful and will continue to be active in the sorority. 

“Turtle Taxi is a system that may one day save a sister’s life,” Miller said.

UNLV is untraditional when it comes to college parties. It is a commuter college, so most students travel at least 10 minutes to arrive on campus. This leads to students driving long distances to get to parties, or to simply drive home.

Nearby bars such as Yayo Taco, El Patio and Adam’s Ribs are popular places for students to drink. 

Adam Carmer, owner of Adam’s Ribs and Freakin’ Frog and a professor in UNLV’s Department of Hospitality and Beverage, said that on a typical night at Adams Ribs students often drink prior to walking in the bar, so they won’t have to spend as much money. 

However, that does not keep them from buying drinks.

“I see them take scorpion shots, drink pitchers of beer, and play games of ‘beer pong.’ Jägerbombs are most popular, and so is tequila,” Carmer said.

Adam’s Ribs attracts students because of its convenient location across from campus.  Parties are often held there and it can get crowded throughout the week.

Carmer has never had any serious problems at his bar and often sees students staying sober to give others a ride.

 ”We have a lot of students hanging out here to be designated drivers and, of course, we give them free sodas all night. We support that,” Carmer said.

 ”The groups that come in are usually Greek, [fraternities and sororities] and they seem to have a good understanding of how the system works,” Carmer said.  

As far as drinking and driving, Carmer believes that it depends on the person. “If someone wants to drink and drive, they will drink and drive,” he said.

Miller and her sorority sisters are well aware that drinking and driving is a common occurrence among students. She sees students drink and drive every weekend.

“I think that sometimes people just think that they are indestructible,” Miller said.

Carmer respects the safety programs that student organizations are beginning to use. There is no question that these programs will continue to help make UNLV’s environment and students safer.

“It is a much better culture that young people have created,” Carmer said.

In the upcoming spring semester newly elected Risk Manager Kelsey McCabe will continue to run a strict Turtle Taxi schedule. 

“I know that [Turtle Taxi] has prevented sisters from driving home or taking a cab, which is amazing,” McCabe said.  ”Delta Zeta knows that it is important to have fun in college, but nothing is more important than a sister’s safety.”