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 SafeRides began in the early eighties when
a group of high school students, with help from The
Boy Scouts of America, designed and implemented a program
to combat teen deaths due to alcohol-related automobile
accidents.
Today, high school and college groups throughout the
nation, including SafeRides Venturing Crew 2090 on
Martha's Vineyard, are providing a free and confidential
safe ride home to any young adult who is not in a condition
to drive safely, or who wants to avoid being a passenger
in such a situation. These programs are operated by
Venturing-age youth (young men and women age 15 through
20) as a service to their peers. Adult involvement
is minimized to guidance and advice. While not condoning
unsafe behavior, SafeRides acknowledges the need for
safe transportation while the community addresses those
behavioral issues and their causes. But there are many
reasons for which a youth may be in need of a ride.
The SafeRides program encourages finding a safe ride
for young people who are at risk in ways besides drinking
and find themselves in a no-ride situation.
The Martha's Vineyard SafeRides program is now in
its 13th year of continuous operation and is chartered
to the Rotary Club of Martha's Vineyard Charitable
Foundation. For more information about SafeRides, including
how a program can be started in your community, SafeRides
Venturing Crew 2090 can be contacted at saferides@vineyard.net
or by calling 508-939-9100. Or call the Council Service
Center at 508-362-4322.
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