The junior prom will be held at the Winnetu hotel this weekend, and this year a new program seeks to offer students safe rides after the dance ends.

Junior class president Owen Engler has spearheaded a collaboration with Your Taxi and Cottage City Cabs to ensure all students have transportation after the dance, free of charge.

“We’ve been able to make the culture in the school change on prom night,” Mr. Engler said.

Car accidents are the leading cause of death for teenagers according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mr. Engler said he has seen the community mourn students lost in car accidents, and is determined to do what he can to lessen that risk.

He said there have been some concerns that offering free rides condones underage drinking at the prom, but he said safety, not controlling his peers’ behavior, should be the priority.

“We have no control over what people do,” he said. “However it is our duty as class leaders to offer the people that voted us in the most safe options possible.”

The program is possible thanks largely to a seed donation of $1,000 from a donor who wishes to remain anonymous. Mr. Engler has also launched a GoFundMe campaign to give others the opportunity to contribute. Leftover funds will go toward providing rides at next year’s prom.

“This program means a lot to people so I want it to be here as long as possible,” he said.

Prom tickets will double as taxi vouchers, allowing students to get a ride to the after prom party at the Barn and Bowl Bistro or any other destination.

In a letter to parents ahead of the prom, principal Sara Dingledy outlined some Massachusetts laws that affect drivers under the age of 18. Young drivers cannot drive after 12:30 a.m. or travel with passengers other than siblings under the age of 18. Alcohol of course is also prohibited by law. The letter said each prom guest will be subject to a breathalyzer test and bag searches.

“Parents and students, we ask for your vigilance and assistance in making prom night an extraordinary night of memories and friendship instead of a night of accidents and tragedies,” the letter says.

Ms. Dingledy said she was proud of the students for organizing the taxi ride program, and thanked parents, the Bowl and Barn, the Youth Task Force, and the YMCA for helping to put together the after prom party.

“I hope it is a safe and fabulous evening for all,” she said.