Information courtesy of the College Station Police Department:
On Saturday, October 22nd the College Station Police Department will partner with the Coalition for Alcohol Responsibility and Education (CARE) to host a special event in the Northgate Entertainment District. The event will begin at 10:00 PM and run through 2:30 AM. The event hours were chosen to coincide with Northgate’s peak hours. The purpose of the event is to facilitate an environment for CARE to have the opportunity to share a responsible message with the younger members of our community. Approximately 30 volunteers will be on hand distributing literature and answering questions about a variety of issues. The primary focus will be on matters that pertain to responsible behavior such as seat belt safety, the dangers of binge drinking, driving while intoxicated, and the over consumption of alcohol.
At this year’s event there will be a special exhibit – the Amber Menefee Mobile Memorial. This mobile memorial is used to illustrate the potential devastation of driving while intoxicated. On February 11, 2006, 21-year old Amber Menefee died when her car collided with a SUV that was driven by a person who was intoxicated. In an effort to better educate and prevent drunk driving, the vehicle driven by Amber the night of this tragic accident will be at the event. Those close to Amber and this case will be on hand to tell their story and help educate others about the consequences of driving while intoxicated.
To further promote the message of responsible drinking, we will have volunteers on sight with portable breath test units. The units will be made available to Northgate patrons who wish to blow into the units after drinking to build a reference point of their blood alcohol content. We will also have a “pedal car” available to drive. The pedal car operators will utilize “beer goggles” which simulate the effects of driving while under the influence.
In addition, to help illustrate seat belt safety we will have a roll over convincer. This exhibit consists of a pickup truck cab mounted to a trailer that uses a hydraulic system to roll over, simulating a roll-over accident.
The following groups will be represented at the event: The College Station Police Department, The Texas A&M University Police Department, The Brazos County Sheriff’s Office, Brazos County Adult Probation, Texas A&M Alcohol and Drug Education Programs, The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC), Sexual Assault Resource Center (SARC), Brazos Valley Council on Alcohol and Substance Abuse (BVCASA), Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD), TxDOT, Texas AgriLife Extension – Passenger Safety, Brazos Valley Injury Prevention Coalition, Green Dot, and CARPOOL.
WTAW’s Bill Oliver visits with Rhonda Seaton.