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"Watch out for yourself - and your friends," as Machen encourages in the Gator Watch Initiative is good, but just not enough. We as a City can and should do more!

The Gator Watch Initiative started by Chris Machen, UF’s first lady, is a good plan to promote game-day safety and we need more plans like it.  As a Personal Injury and DUI lawyer  in Gainesville, Florida, I have seen first hand the devastation that can result from drinking; everything from deaths, to severe injuries, and other life long consequences due to alcohol and/or drugs, and especially if driving while under the influence.

The University of Florida was ranked the number one party school in the nation by The Princeton Review last summer, which means “partying” is common on and off campus.  On game days, and game day weekends, all you have to do is drive down University Ave and it is obvious the amount of drinking and partying going on among students and other Gator Sport’s enthusiasts. Combined with the popularity of Gator Sports in Gainesville, tailgating, and other pre-game parties that can start many hours before the games, or even the day before, this can be a deadly combination, even if the games are away games. After UF’s 2006 national basketball championship in Atlanta, a police officer was killed by a drunk driver in Gainesville on University Ave.

 As a downtown resident living in Union Street Station, I see and hear the bars closing at 2am followed by the young patrons that were obviously drinking and partying, leaving and getting in their cars to drive home. And this goes on every night of the week except Sundays when there is an 11pm closing time, Gator game or not.  In the bars, last drink call is 20 to 30 minutes before closing time, when it is common to “drink down a last one” and quickly before closing time, when then drinking and or drunken patrons are turned out onto the streets, just after guzzling down their last one. Does this make sense?  Is this safe?  Shouldn’t there be a “cool down/sober up” time before turning them loose on the town?  Not only is this a noise nuisance issue for residents, it is a safety concern for all.

 This year Gainesville initiated a new late night taxi program in which taxi stands were set up in two key locations to help partying students and others get home safely.  This is a good start, but we could use more initiatives like this.  

 As a University Town, the University of Florida and the City of Gainesville needs to do all it can to keep our students and citizens safe.  The Gator Watch Initiative is a good beginning but we need more, and not just for game days!

 "Watch out for yourself - and your friends," as Machen encourages in the Gator Watch Initiative is good, but just not enough.  We as a City can and should do more!