Though the University of Mississippi was declared “the safest school in the SEC” by Collegesafe.com in 2012, local police officials and Ole Miss students understand that there is an issue of drinking and driving both on and off campus.
The University Police Department reported in its Daily Crime Log that there have been only 27 DUI arrests from September to November this year. This is down from 2012 where during the same time period, the campus saw 34 DUI arrests, and further down from 2011 which saw 56 arrests. While some may take this as drinking and driving on campus becoming a lessening problem, Maj. Sheridan Maiden of the Oxford Police Department disagrees.
“OPD works very closely with UPD on campus, and any time there is an alcohol arrest, DUI or not, we are included in the judicial process,” Maiden said. “With DUIs, you have to look at the totality of the situation. The number of incidences isn’t as important as the incident itself. As long as drinking and driving is happening, there is still a problem that needs to be addressed.”
Both the Oxford and University police departments’ prevention measures go into full swing on gamedays when the population of Oxford increases substantially and many choose to celebrate by drinking in the Grove.
Jones does not think the law enforcement is doing enough to deter patrons from getting behind the wheel after drinking.
“I don’t think that DUIs are enough, and I don’t think I’ve heard enough people with authority really putting in the effort to warn people not to drink and drive,” she said.
Maiden believes that while programs like MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) are helpful, ending drunk driving comes down to personal responsibility.
“People should be able to hold themselves accountable to think about the consequences of their actions before they make a mistake,” Maiden said. “They need to think about whether they can afford to get a DUI, and the answer should always be no.”
In addition to receiving a strike on the Ole Miss Two Strike Drug and Alcohol Policy, students who receive a DUI are subject to jail time, losing their driver’s license, costly court fees and loss of college scholarships and financial aid.
Maiden added that while DUI arrests are fun for no one, they are a necessary measure in drinking and driving prevention.
“If you’ve been pulled over and you’ve been drinking, you will not beat the breathalyzer,” Maiden said.
Maiden recalled seeing students put pennies in their mouth, gargle with coffee or soft drinks, and chew sticks of gum in a vain attempt to manipulate the reading. Truthfully, the only way to avoid failing a breathalyzer test is to not drink.
“To see a real change here at Ole Miss, we are going to have to see a change in the way people think about drunk driving,” Maiden said. “It’s not safe, ever, and there are no exceptions. Drinking and driving is a very black and white issue that comes down to this. If you’re going to drink, don’t drive, and if you’re going to drive, don’t drink.”
Freshman journalism major Bella Ernst noticed the problem soon after arriving on campus, and noted seeing people on the Square walking straight from the bars to their vehicles.
“First and foremost, it’s a pedestrian hazard,” she explained. “There are always people strolling around campus who don’t want to have to worry about getting hit.”
Newcomers and ongoing students of Ole Miss are now also having to deal with the closing of Rebel Ride, a free transportation service started in 2004 that took students to and from campus and the Square. Sophomore public policy major Laura Jones said the termination of Rebel Ride has created serious problems for those going out at night.
“To avoid drunk driving, the only other free option is walking, and having to walk in the dark while intoxicated can be dangerous,” Jones said. “There are taxi services and of course finding a designated driver, but there are always some ifs about that. Rebel Ride was a constant failsafe.”
— Katie Campbell
