A weekend of fraternity and sorority formals concerned senior Ben Csikos and junior Laura Warren more than most students.
Csikos, membership development chairman for the Interfraternity Council and Warren of the East Central Indiana chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving joined forces to offer information to students at the Scramble Light Friday.
The two sat near a smashed car lined with banners warning students to think twice about drinking and driving.
"We hope people decide not to drink and drive," Csikos said.
Warren and Csikos said they hoped they were helping to save lives.
"As long as we touch one person, that's one life more we saved than if we would not have done it," Warren said."
As the semester winds down, students attend events and begin to leave for the summer, Warren and Csikos saw an opportunity to educate students about the dangers of driving under the influence.
"In my position I focus on life-long learning," Csikos said.-á"Alcohol is a big issue on campus. A lot of alcohol is used on college campuses."
Their table was covered with pamphlets and magazines-áfilled with statistics-áand tips about how to avoid-ádangerous situations involving drunken driving.
According to a pamphlet, 30.9 percent of all fatal crashes in Indiana in 2000 involved alcohol.
Such information, Warren said, usually answers any questions people would have about drunken driving.
"We usually don't get a lot of questions," Warren said. "People look at the information and hopefully because they are taking it home they will read it."
Warren said in Indiana the legal blood alcohol limit is .08 for those 21 and over. Csikos said it was .01 for those under 21.
Tips include planning ahead by deciding a designated driver, taking a bus or taxi, calling a friend for a ride or staying overnight. Defense against drunken drivers means wearing seat belts, refusing a ride with a person who has been drinking and encouraging others, no matter what age, to call home for a ride if they or their friends are under the influence.
The information table was initiate by Csikos. He had contacted MADD's headquarters and was referred to Warren, vice president-elect of the chapter.
Warren became involved in the cause after she chose drunk driving education as her platform for-áa pageant system. She has been involved in similar organizations since high school, having been a member of Students Against Drunk Driving.
"At Ball State there was no SADD chapter, so I had to look for another venue," she said.
For Warren, it's more than a pressing student issue: It's personal.
"I had a friend who killed himself in a drunken-driving accident and an uncle who survived one," Warren said. "I was personally affected and impacted, and I want to educate other people about it."
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