Three committed citizens lend a hand at curbing Richmond’s DUI rate through three very different and unique programs.
Last year, almost half of the traffic deaths in Richmond were alcohol-related, according to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. This year, three concerned citizens are doing their part to lower that statistic.
Jim Porter, founder of To The Bottom and Back, Carter Hill, state coordinator for Mothers Against Drunk Driving chapters throughout Virginia and Sgt. David Galyon of the Richmond Police Department have all found creative ways to tackle this nationwide problem.
2BNB – A New Way to Visit the Shockoe Bottom
In 2007, Porter was driving to his son’s high school graduation in West Virginia when he was hit by an individual driving under the influence of drugs. Porter suffered injuries to both his shoulder and back.
In August 2009, Porter created a shuttle service to provide Richmonders and tourists a safe way to get around the city without the hassle of finding scarce parking spots and having to pay exuberant fees. In the process, he also hopes to curb DUI and DUI-related incidents.
To The Bottom and Back is a free shuttle service that operates Thursdays and Fridays from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m., Saturday from noon to 3 a.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. The company is funded through donations and advertising, Porter said.
Its route begins at Ellwood Thompson’s parking lot in Carytown. The shuttle then travels east on Cary Street, makes a loop at the Farmer’s Market in Richmond’s Shockoe Bottom and returns west on Main Street back to Ellwood Thompson’s.
With his company, Porter hopes to accomplish two missions.
“I want people to move around Richmond and enjoy the city,” he said, “I also want people to learn not to drink and drive.”
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MADD Encourages DUI Arrests
Hill, 55, is a volunteer for MADD. His 20-year-old son was killed in 1997 while riding with an impaired driver.
Hill said Porter has good intentions but a flawed strategy.
“He’s taking people to the bottom and returning them to a parking lot for them to drive away impaired,” he said
Hill believes that for DUI programs to work, people must not get behind the wheel of their cars intoxicated.
When asked what MADD is doing to curb DUI-related crashes, Hill said that for the month of September, MADD conducted law enforcement award ceremonies across Virginia. MADD gave awards to law enforcement officers for DUI arrests or DUI education. He believes that education is critical to the prevention of DUI-related crashes.
“Education is a big, big factor in this whole equation. Locking people up is one way to educate them because now they have to go thorough a program called ASAP – Alcohol Safety Action Program,” Hill said, “Once they go through that program it tends to education them a little more and make them a little more aware of the whole entire issue.”
Education is Key
Galyon is approaching education from a different angle. He is involved in educating police officers not only in Richmond but across the state.
Galyon, a seven-year veteran of the Richmond Police Department, is on the Governor’s task force for DUIs and is the leading DUI instructor for Virginia.
His approach to curbing Richmond’s DUI-related crashes involves educating law enforcement officers.
In Richmond, police recruits go through a one-week, 40-hour training program for DUI enforcement while in the police academy. Veteran officers must attend eight hours of refresher DUI training yearly. And lastly, high-performance DUI officers attend a two day course that qualifies them as DUI technicians, he said.
A DUI technician is on every shift. This officer assists fellow officers with their DUI arrests and acts as a breathalyzer operator.
“In 2003, Richmond made 85 DUI arrests. This year we made approximately 600 DUI arrests. In each phase of training we put out, within 30 days we see a 10 percent increase in DUI enforcement each month that we send out a new group,” he said.
Experts say prevention, education and enforcement all are important in reducing DUIs in Central Virginia.
DUI Statistics
In 2008, in the 21 cities and counties that make up the Richmond metro area, there were 160 traffic fatalities, according to the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Of the deaths, 74-or 46 percent-were caused by DUI.
In Gloucester County, for example, alcohol was a factor in nine of the 12 traffic fatalities last year (click on chart to enlarge).
Visit Google Docs to view data…
If Porter, Hill and Galyon have their way, the area’s roads and highways will be much safer in years to come.
1 Comment(s)
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MADD’s comment about 2BNB being a flawed concept is ridiculous. I ride the bus every week with my friends. We ALL live in the Fan and most of the people we meet live there.
My buddy has a bar in the Bottom and said 2BNB has helped his business. Maybe this is what the Bottom has needed to revitalize.
Jim, keep doing what your doing man. At least your are actually ‘doing’ something instead of spending millions of dollars just putting up billboards!
MADD, you should be ashamed. If 2BNB saves 1 life a night, that is making a real difference!