Tuesday evening, Saint Mary’s students lined up between McCandless Hall and Angela Athletic & Wellness Complex for their chance to participate in a drunk driving golf cart simulation as part of Saint Mary’s annual safety tailgate.
The event, in its second year, was created by departments across Saint Mary’s including Campus Safety, the Office of Student Involvement and the Belles Against Office to prepare students for their first Notre Dame home football game.
At the tailgate, students received towels that read “BUMP SET SMICK!” in reference to the Belles volleyball game later Tuesday evening, as well as a gameday kit with sunscreen, hand sanitizer, insect repellent, bite relief and after-sun. Other giveaways at the event included nightcaps to cover drinks, rubber ducks and information flyers on partying smart.
Also present at the event were a DJ and free Chick-fil-A.
Shay Jolly Schneider, Associate Dean of Students, shared that over 300 students attended the event.
Freshman Isabella McKay shared that at the event, she learned that “those who talk about suicide are at a higher risk for committing acts of harm against themselves or doing reckless actions.”
Elaborating upon what she learned, McKay said, “that caffeine mixed with alcohol can lead to worse symptoms the next day and potentially be hazardous.”
Junior Colleen Quinn shared that she was drawn to the event for the free food but found the drunk driving simulation cool. McKay also shared her excitement for the simulation.
In that simulation, students were asked to complete a driving obstacle course with a golf cart. For the first iteration, they went through the course normally, but on the second attempt, they were given drunk goggles. Several drivers hit cones the second time.
Schneider expressed confidence that the simulation convinced students not to drive drunk or get in a car with a drunk driver.
“Our primary goal is to help our students make safe decisions and protect themself and others, especially during busy times on and off campus,” Schneider said.
Schneider explained some of the key safety decisions the event’s organizers hope students took away, saying, “Drink safety is something that all students need to be aware of when out and around people they don’t know. Not to mention making smart choices around what to drink and how much, and making sure they understand why driving after drinking is not a good option.”
Overall, Schneider hopes that students who attended understand how to make “the best and safest decisions while they are out having fun on football weekends and beyond.”
