Run both for and by high school students, Safe Ride provides free and confidential rides home for teens as an alternative to driving or riding in a dangerous situation. The program runs out of the Palo Alto Area Chapter every Friday and Saturday night during the school year, from 10 pm to 1:30 am. Student volunteers answer the toll-free telephone line (1-877-753-RIDE), and a two-person driving team picks up passengers in a Red Cross vehicle. Volunteers also provide peer education at their schools about driving under the influence of alcohol. A student volunteer typically works a minimum of four or five times per year for four hours each shift. The free, safe and confidential program is now in its 23rd year.

We finished up the school year last weekend and closed the year with 641 calls to the program and 633 rides given! (Last year, we received 698 calls and gave 537 rides.)