‘One Night’ raises money, awareness

Caitlin Friel / contributing photographer Ross Copperman performs at SafeRides "One Night" event.

Musical and dance acts entertained students supporting SafeRides Monday night. The event, "One Night, One Life, One Ride," hopes to help with ending drunk driving.

In an effort to protect the students from drunk driving tragedies, SafeRides seeks to ensure that students have a sober ride available. SafeRides hopes to begin this spring, but currently is focusing on raising the money for insurance and rental cars. Events such as "One Night" are to raise awareness of SafeRides mission throughout campus and to encourage students to donate to the organization.

"Drinking and driving isn’t a decision that someone makes just for themselves — it’s a decision they make for everyone else on the road," said Andrew Torget, president of the central Virginia chapter of Mothers Against Destructive Driving, who spoke at the event.

On Christmas Eve in 1999, Torget was driving home to visit his family when a drunk driver struck his car. Torget survived the accident, despite suffering internal injuries and severe damage to his skull. Now, with five titanium plates in his head, Torget said he is grateful for his fortune in surviving the car accident.

But, he added, those involved in drinking and driving are not always so lucky.

Freshman Katherine Carr, who attended the event, knows this lesson all too well.

Two years ago, Carr’s aunt was hit by a drunk driver and to this day still suffers from panic attacks and attends physical therapy.

"It shouldn’t be taken lightly; drunk driving is a really serious problem," Carr said.

When it begins operations, students will be able to call a central SafeRides phone number and be picked up by members of the organization driving rental cars.

"It’s not necessarily all about drunk driving, it’s about safe options," said senior Justin Gray, a SafeRides member. "We just provide a safe alternative."