This project is being done in collaboration with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and is essentially a refresh of North Carolina’s legacy “Booze It & Lose It” program. The project entails four main components that deal with law enforcement, judicial and prosecutorial outreach, media and community involvement.  

With the launch of a new media campaign in Western North Carolina, the program produced drink coasters that will reinforce our new messaging. The Town of Sylva, Town of Dillsboro and Jackson County are distributing specially made coasters at licensed alcohol establishments in the area.  

Jackson County and many of the far western counties don’t have widely available taxi or ride-share services like Uber or Lyft, and therefore don’t have a culture of “planning ahead” as larger urban communities do.

Bernadette Peters, Economic Development Director for the Town of Sylva, requested a student team from Western Carolina University conduct a research project and survey to address these needs and the level of student interest in using and working for a ride-share service, as well as possible ways to recruit taxi and shuttle services.

Additionally, the Western Carolina University Community Engagement office has been in conversations with the SADD organization (Students Against Destructive Decisions — formerly Students Against Drunk Driving) to possibly start a chapter on campus.