Memphis pledges to end drunk driving

Dec 8, 2010

Zeta Rho (Memphis) – The stress of finals and the holiday season puts some students in the mood for a few drinks, but University of Memphis sorority Pi Beta Phi and fraternity Alpha Tau Omega are working to ensure that students who do drink during the holidays do it responsibly.

The Greek groups joined for their second annual pledge against drunk driving outside the Tiger Den Tuesday afternoon, where students signed a petition stating they will not drink and drive over the holiday break. The organizations had collected 127 signatures by 1 p.m. and hoped to collect at least 200 for the day.

Nationally, more than 1,000 people die nationwide between Thanksgiving and New Year’s due to drunk drivers, according to the Mothers Against Drunk Driving website.

Students who signed the pledge also received free cookies.

“Giving away free cookies when people sign is kind of like an incentive,” said junior psychology major and Pi Beta Phi president Megan Broadstreet.

Broadstreet said a little caution can keep a good holiday break from turning bad.

“We are in college and we all want to have fun during the break,” she said. “Just be safe with it. If you’re going to drink, you should have a designated driver.”

Ben Gardner of Alpha Tau Omega said spreading the word about drunk driving is important because people don’t realize how big of a deal it is.

“In college, a bunch of people drink and drive,” said the freshman business finance major.

Gardner shared Broadstreet’s opinion that students who go out drinking should have a designated driver. He said “one wrong decision” like drinking and driving can result in jail or even death.

“To prevent drunk driving within our fraternity, we have brothers who stay at home and if our brothers need to go somewhere, then one of us will go and get them,” he said.

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