It’s well-known that drinking impairs a driver’s judgment and reflexes. Drunk driving causes hundreds of thousands of auto accidents each year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that drunk driving causes 33 deaths and almost 700 injuries every day in the U.S. In fact, drunk driving was responsible for 11,711 deaths in 2009. Young drivers who drink have the greatest risk of dying in an alcohol-impaired crash. In 2009, nearly one-third of drivers aged 21 to 34 in a fatal crash was legally impaired.
A creative team of USFSP MBA students developed Last Call Cab to help serve Saint Petersburg in the fight against drunk driving. It will provide low-cost rides to individuals who’ve had too much to drink. Last Call Cab also seeks to identify the reasons people choose to drink and drive and ultimately provide the necessary information, tools, and incentives to prevent drunk driving.
Last Call Cab is one of several social enterprises supported by We Ignite. Led by Karin Braunsberger, Ph.D., Professor of Marketing at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg, the We Ignite team of USFSP faculty and students engages community members, who are interested in social innovation and enhancing social welfare and environmental health. We Ignite’s goal is to help support new social enterprises during their startup phase.
We Ignite will also fund and carry out research to assess the social, environmental, and economic impacts of select social enterprises. We Ignite’s first fundraiser will be held on Saturday. April 26, 7-10 PM at the Green Bench Brewery in St. Petersburg, FL 33705. For more information go to Weignite.org
If you, your friend, or your family are involved in an auto accident caused by a drunk driver, you should seek the advice of a drunk driving accident lawyer immediately. The Ruth Law Team can help drunk driving victims get compensation for their medical bills, vehicle repair and time missed from work. Please encourage friends not to drink and drive.
