RENO — The University of Nevada, Reno has launched a new program to prevent drunken driving by enlisting local bars to provide free nonalcoholic drinks to students identified as designated drivers.

UNR and Truckee Meadows Community College students can sign a pledge, promising to serve as designated drivers when wearing free, serial-numbered "Wolf Tags."

More than 600 students already have signed up for the program created by UNR's Office of Student Conduct.

The tags become available on Wednesday, three days before the Wolf Pack's Oct. 3 football game against its archrival, the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

The timing is no coincidence.

"We did that on purpose," said Charlene Rigdon, a graduate student and coordinator of the Office of Student Conduct's "Do the Ride Thing" campaign.

"A lot of the problems at the games are caused by unruly behavior that involves alcohol," she said. "We want students to have fun, but we want them to think about how to be responsible and to encourage good sportsmanship."

The tags, Ridgon said, are a reminder to students to think about what they are going to do before they go out.

"Usually, students go out and start drinking, but no one has decided on a designated driver," she said. "This motivates them to make a responsible decision before they go out by saying, 'I'm going to wear my Wolf Tags because I'm not going to drink tonight.'"

Local retailers participating in the campaign thus far are the Little Waldorf Saloon, the Breakaway, the Wolf Den, Divine, Studio on 4th, The Isles and the Pub N' Sub.

Christine Adams, Little Waldorf marketing director, said the program will benefit the entire community.

"As licensed servers of alcohol, we have a responsibility when serving our student clientele," Adams told the Reno Gazette-Journal. "I have been in this industry for 15 years, and I have never been a part of something like this. I think it's a very socially responsible thing to do."

Rigdon said random drawings will be held at some participating watering holes, where students wearing tags will be eligible to win T-shirts and gift certificates.

Every Friday, students wearing tags also will receive 10 percent discounts at the on-campus Starbucks and Keva Juice.