The Designated Drivers project's main objective is to show the consequences of what can happen if you drive under the effects of alcohol. It also aims to raise awareness of the service of designated drivers that most insurance companies offer.
The ideas
Five sophomore students from the Montessori School in Medellín realised the amount of car accidents that occur when people are under the influence of alcohol. This is one of the leading causes of deaths worldwide, and not only a risk for drivers but also pedestrians.
In 2011, driving under the influence of alcohol caused 5,792 deaths in Colombia. The students decided to do something to reduce this type of accident after meeting with the company Asistencia Gerardo Suarez SAS, the largest company of designated drivers in Antioquia.
Based on the research, students decided to make a video to show and explain the consequences that driving under the influence of alcohol can bring, and the benefits of using the service of designated drivers. This will decrease deaths and is also a way to prevent accidents.
The initiatives
The students chose a phrase: “Life is very important, so that in one night you damage your own life and the lives of others”. It is very important that people are aware of what they do, not only adults, but also young people because they are not conscious and drive under the effects of alcohol. The students took the initiative to make a video to show what could happen in a traffic accident and how many people could be affected.
The students worked hard because all members play an important role the recording, dialogue writing and editing of the video. The students wanted the support of a company in the municipality of Antioquia: help came from Gerardo Suarez SAS, a company that offers a designated drivers service, or supplies a designated driver who takes a person who is under the effects of alcohol and home safely in their own car.
Nowadays the Gerardo Suarez Company is well known to Antioquian citizens, because the service of designated drivers has been increasing. The company works alongside many insurance companies, including Sura, which is one of the biggest insurance companies in Colombia. All of these companies provide a designated drivers service that picks up a client wherever they are, whenever they need it and takes them to their chosen destination. This service is completely free if you have any type of insurance with the company, but if you don’t then the cost of the service would be approximately US$30.
We contacted the company because it is one of the biggest in Antioquia, they give a great service to the clients, but also because we had a contact in the company and they helped us by putting us in touch the manager. We thought that with the help of this company we would get better results in our work and in this way we could send this message to people all over the world so that they are aware of this problem.
They will create a Web page in order to make people aware of the consequences and collaborate to decrease mortality in the city of Medellín.
The students will publish their work on the competition page and on the webpage they have created. It will also be published where it is easily accessible to teachers and jury. Their main goal is to divulge the importance of helping Medellín’s mobility.
