The Hwy. 10 corridor in Sherburne County has been recognized as one of the highest accident areas in the state.

 

And those accidents increase during summer months when activities, and nights out at the bar, increase.

 

That’s a big reason why the Sherburne County Probation Dept. has been working with drinking establishments to try to prevent drunk driving and accidents that go along with it.

 

Last December, Cheryl Turck, probation officer, helped put together a Safe Ride program to help bar patrons get home safely after a night out during the holiday season.

 

Bartenders and wait staff hand out $10 Safe Ride vouchers to patrons who look like they may need a cab ride. The first $10 is covered by the voucher, which is paid for by the establishment. The rest is picked up by the patron. 

 

The bartender will call a cab company taking part in the program. When the cab arrives, the bartender or staff fills out all the information on the voucher and hands it to the driver. Then the patron got a ride home.

 

Last December, two bars in Otsego and two cab companies took part in the program.

 

“That was our pilot program to determine if people would use the service,” says Turck. “In that three-week time frame we gave 36 rides home. That’s huge in just three weeks, so we knew the need was there.”

 

Now, the program is no longer just a pilot. It has expanded into other bars in Sherburne County. Turck says she decided to start in Big Lake with businesses along the Hwy. 10 corridor.

 

Four establishments signed up - McPete’s Sports Bar & Lanes, The Friendly Buffalo, Trail’s Grill & Sports Bar and Racks Bar & Grill.

 

“I went and met with bar owners and managers personally to let them know we’re serious about making Sherburne County a safer community,” says Turck. “They realized it was a win-win. It cuts down on DWIs, accidents and fatalities.”

 

Owners saw the merits of the program immediately.

 

“Participation in this program is important in getting patrons home safe,” says Eric Petersen, co-owner of McPete’s.

 

“It’s a great program and we appreciate being a part of it,” says Kevin, manager at Rack’s Bar & Grill. “We care about our patrons and would like them to know they can get home safely.”

 

The program has also expanded, with three cab companies taking part - ProCab, Christie Cab and A+ Taxi. Probation Supervisor Corey Mabis says part of the pilot program was determining whether there were enough cabs to cover the need.

 

“I think the success rate of them showing up in a timely manner and getting them back to their residence worked out,” he says. “We met with them and told them our expectations, told them what the program was all about, and like the bar owners in Big Lake, they were all about community safety.” 

 

DWIs are a major issue with local law enforcement, and those charged with DWI realize how much of an impact it can make in their lives. Not only are they putting their lives and other’s lives at risk, but the financial burden can be significant. A DWI can cost between $5,000 and $10,000 for a first offense.

 

“The problem of driving under the influence of alcohol continues to create risks for the community and for individual drivers. In court, drivers charged with DWI often tell me they had a plan to avoid driving while intoxicated, but the plan fell through after they had already consumed too much alcohol to drive,” says Judge Sheridan Hawley of the 10th Judicial District. 

 

“The Safe Ride program is a wonderful way to make sure everyone has a way to get home safely when they have been drinking, whether they started out with a plan or not. Sherburne County’s Probation Dept. has put a lot of work into making this program available and many establishments have stepped up to join in the effort. I am proud of all their efforts and thrilled that Sherburne County has made this option available to anyone who needs it.”

 

The program also gets significant support from C&L Distributing in Sauk Rapids.

 

“They provided all the posters, table tents and covered printing costs for the vouchers,” says Turck. “And Judge James Dehn, who started the program in Isanti County in 2006, has been extremely supportive in getting this program off the ground.”

 

“Minnesota Safe Ride in Isanti Co., a 501c3 non-profit organization, has been huge in assisting me in getting this up and going,” says Turck.

 

“They’re handling all funds for Sherburne County. They have also donated $500 to the county to help get us off the ground.”

 

Turck says she will be working behind the scenes to get the program to expand all throughout the county.

 

“Hopefully, other bars will see this is really going well and they’ll want to join,” she says. “I would like to see 15 to 20 additional bars in this program.”

 

Mabis says Big Lake bar owners have made a statement that they are willing to invest some money in their patrons by signing on to the program.

 

“And we would like to hear from other bar owners who would like to be part of this program,” he says.

 

Turck says it’s all about safety, for the patrons, the community and peace of mind for business owners.

 

“Our family and staff appreciate each and every customer that walks through our doors,” says Mandy Schroeder, upper operations manager at the Friendly Buffalo. “We want to be sure we provide them with every opportunity to get home safe.”

 

The program kicked off Friday (May 15) and runs through the rest of 2015.