20 causes, 20 days

Cause #5 – Every 37 Minutes December 5, 2009

Posted by 20causes20days in Causes, Charities, Volunteer.
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Those of you who know me on a personal level may be aware that I have a close tie to this cause. Drinking and driving is something that the overwhelming majority of us have made the mistake of doing dozens, if not hundreds of times.

We go out to a party or a friend’s house, have a few drinks, and hop behind the wheel without a second thought. No big deal, right?

Did you know that every 37 minutes, someone in the United States is killed in a drunk driving collision?

Let that sink in. During the time you watch American Idol, two people have died from drinking and driving. During the time you spend shopping or Facebooking online, many people have died from drinking and driving.

Drinking is a part of the American society. As is the automobile. Combine the two, and it’s a recipe for disaster. The Every 37 campaign is not a stern, lecturing type of message. They know that people will drink. They just want people to think about the consequences of getting behind the wheel after doing so, and to provide resources to help keep people from making that mistake.

Besides an extensive media campaign, Every37.com also partners with local activities to create a personal, hands on feel to their mission. My volunteer task this evening was to man the information table at the Jingle Ball at Memorial Auditorium in Downtown Sacramento.

I drove around the Auditorium and the line to get in stretched around the block. On first glance, I noticed that the crowd appeared to be quite young. While most may not have been old enough to drink, a significant percentage may not have even been old enough to drive.

But, as I’ve learned so much over the past few days, there is an opportunity to be had in every situation.

I arrived at the table and introduced myself to Abbey, the talented person who coordinated the entire Every37 campaign. She had set up the table with examples of the media the campaign had run, from outdoor billboards to web banners to magazine ads. Their “Find A Ride” cards were stacked neatly at the front of the table.

My task: simply hand out these cards and talk to people about the perils of drinking and driving.

As the doors opened, the teens and tweens rushed by to find their seats. This was a (Justin Bieber) concert, so there was definitely no shortage of glass-breaking shrieking from the teen girls in attendance.

Our table was wedged into a corner on the right side of the main entrance. Not exactly the best visibility, but this positioning ended up being a blessing in disguise.

The table was set up no less than a foot from the concession window, thus those concertgoers waiting in the concession line had to walk right by the table. Even more convenient was the fact that the concession stand sold beer and wine.

I strategically placed the billboards with messages like “Try Not to Commit Manslaughter Tonight” and “Nobody Plans on Leaving Through the Windshield” at the end of the table closest to the concession stand because I wanted the people to have those messages be the last they saw as they ordered their alcoholic beverages.

As they approached the table in the slow-moving line, the majority would look at the boards on the table, then at me, then at the banner behind me, then would ask: “What’s this all about?”

I’d reply with a smile and hand them a Find-A-Ride card. “We’re just here spreading the message about the dangers of drinking and driving. Did you know that every 37 minutes, someone dies from a drunk driving accident?”

Most would pause for a second and shake their heads no. Which would inevitably be followed up with a “Wow.”

So many people had no idea that this problem was that prevalent. Quite a few had seen the billboards, TV commercials, and heard the radio spots. Many thanked me for being here because it was so necessary to spread this important message.

Despite all the small talk, and people taking the cards, I know I helped this important message resonate with a few people. The mom who grabbed a big stack of cards and said she was going to give them to each of her (newly) 21-year old son’s friends.

The 13-year old girls who took about 10 each and said they were going to give them to their brother’s fraternity.

Another mom who thanked me profusely and said “You know, if even one person gets this message tonight and changes their behavior because of it, you’ve succeeded.”

I couldn’t help but agree with her more. Considering the relative experience I have in this realm, that particular comment made me wish my friends and I knew the dangers of drinking and driving before mistakes were made.

I heard that people who drink and drive do so an average of 300 times before they get caught. The average cost of a DUI is $10,000. Once people get caught for one DUI, their chances of getting caught for another are exponentially greater.

Considering all these statistics, don’t you think it’s smarter to spend a few minutes thinking about a designated driver or calling a taxi? Isn’t a $20 cab fare a better investment than jail, no license, $10,000 out of your pocket, or someone’s life?

That’s the point of the Every37.com campaign. Have your fun. Enjoy life. But make the right choices.

It felt good to help do a little part to spread this valuable information. This is a serious problem that not enough people know the dangers stemming from the mistakes they regularly make. Volunteer opportunities at different Every37 events are available. Contact information is below.

Everything happens for a reason. Strong people learn from their mistakes. Unfortunately, making the decision to drink and drive is a mistake that all too often there’s no second chance to learn from.

Every 37 minutes someone dies from a drunk driving collision. Don’t become a statistic. A few minutes volunteering to help spread this message could go a long way in increasing that number.

The Teachable Moment Foundation (Every37)

Website

Volunteer information: 916.552.7971

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