All about a safe trip home

AFTER losing her sister in a car crash in 2020, a local woman is doing her best to make sure other people don’t go through her experience.

Tiffany Willoughby offering her time, and car, as a designated driver for vulnerable women throughout the city to help get them home safe and well.

“She was a statistic on the road, not from drinking, but she went out with friends and ended up in a car accident,” she said.

“And I’ve heard so many stories about women being spiked or not having a way home, having to wait or just having unpleasant experiences with taxis or Ubers.

“So, I thought this would be a nice offering for the community.”

Since putting her plan on Ballarat Facebook community pages about three months ago, Ms Willoughby has driven four strangers home from venues across town.

With bottled water provided, Ms Willoughby said she’s had no problem building a rapport with her passengers.

“It’s almost as if they’re hopping into a friend’s car,” she said.

So far her offer has been taken up on weekends, although Ms Willoughby said she’s available “whenever.”

As a way of expanding the community service, she said she’s aims to get a second mobile and will make the number public to be more accessible.

Ms Willoughby’s acts as a designated driver for free, and with her job as an elderly support worker with a local social service provider, she said she’s always had a focus to help others.

“It’s been a really rewarding experience, and it goes without saying the importance that at least someone has offered this, that it’s there for you to take,” she said.

“It’s late hours, 1am or 2am, but you get to know the people in your town. I tell them I don’t expect any fuel money or anything from them.

“I just want to know that they’re getting home safely and that they don’t become another statistic.”