Isanti County SafeCab Program

Description

In Minnesota, alcohol-related crashes account for one-third of the state's total traffic deaths every year. Under the direction of the Minnesota Safe Ride Program, the Isanti County SafeCab Program began in 2005 with the aim to reduce incidences of drunk driving in rural Isanti, Chisago, Pine and Kanabec counties. The program idea was generated out of a Toward Zero Deaths traffic safety coalition meeting. The meeting included community stakeholders and District Judge James Dehn.

From 1997 until his retirement in 2017, Judge Dehn began tracking the "last place of drink" by defendants pleading guilty to DUI (driving under the influence) charges and records of the correlating Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) levels. Judge Dehn used the data to encourage local bar and restaurants to partner with the program, offering training to employees. An estimated 50% of establishments in Isanti County agreed to participate. A local taxi company offers rides as an alternative to driving impaired.

The Isanti County SafeCab program is a partnership with members representing a variety of sectors. It is composed of area businesses, law enforcement, Minnesota state initiatives, private foundations, a taxi company, and local media. The program was funded equally by three groups:

• participating restaurants and bars
• a local beer distributor
• a community fund

SafeCabs is one of several safe ride programs throughout Minnesota that provide impaired drivers a sober ride home.

Services offered

The SafeCab program set out the following goals:

• Increase public awareness about drunk driving
• Partner with alcohol establishments to reduce the over-serving of patrons
• Decrease the number of DWIs issued in Isanti County
• Lower the average Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) readings from individuals being pulled over by police

The following services are offered to achieve the program goals:

• Restaurant server training to reduce the over-serving of alcohol
• Rides were provided home (not bar-to-bar) to patrons of participating establishments
• Rides were initially provided Wednesdays through Saturdays and eventually offered 24/7 with the addition of another cab service
• Rides are reimbursed up to $10 per person
• A collaboration was formed with law enforcement to not ticket/tow vehicles left behind

Results

The SafeCab program has produced the following results:

• As of March 2022, 17,775 rides have been given to 31,065 Isanti County riders
• 24,000 rides have been given to 41,000 riders total in Isanti, Kanabec, Pine, Chisago, and Sherburne Counties
• Isanti County experienced a decrease in DUI arrests by 69% from 2006 to 2015, averaging 114 arrests per year compared to 367
• The average Blood Alcohol Levels (BAC) of bar patrons pulled over by police decreased by 15%
• Isanti County has now been identified as one of the top MN counties to reduce DUI charges

Demand for services has increased throughout the program duration, while DUI arrests have been reduced in Isanti County. Since its start, SafeCab has partnered with the Center for Excellence in Rural Safety and the Center for Alcohol Policy to launch the program in 5 other Minnesota counties including: Chisago, Kanabec, Pine, Sherburne, Mille Lacs, and Wright.

The program has been recognized as a national model in rural transportation by the University of Minnesota Center for Transportation Studies and the Center for Excellence in Rural Safety, the Center for Alcohol Policy, National Transportation Safety Board, The Century Council, and the National Beer Institute.

The SafeCab program was a 2008 recipient of NADO's Excellence in Regional Transportation Award. Additionally, partners of the program from the bar/distributing industry and Judge Dehn have been honored with awards from Minnesota MADD and MATSA, the Minnesota Alcohol Traffic Safety Association, and the Distinguished Public Leader Award from the University of Minnesota Center for Transportation Studies.

For more information about this program and its results:

Efforts to reduce drunk driving rewarded, Isanti-Chisago County Star, 2016.

RHIhub's Rural Health Models and Innovations hosts a related success story on drunk driving prevention in Isanti County: Staggered Sentencing for Repeat Drunk Driving Offenders.

Replication

The following components are recommended for program replication:

• Utilize the media to increase public awareness
• Work with law enforcement to not ticket/tow vehicles left behind
• Provide services through an existing or newly established cab service
• Strive to run the cab program every night
• Engage area bars/distributors participation
• Secure financial support from local government and charitable gambling entities
• Track the "last place of drink" by defendants pleading guilty to DUI charges to encourage local bar and restaurants to partner with the program and offer training to employees.

SafeCab is the result of many groups coming together to find a solution. Successful replication in another community would likely require a similar model of community engagement.

Contact Information

James Dehn, Judge of District Court
Isanti County SafeCab Program
763.442.8948
jimdehn@gmail.com