WASHINGTON — A few drinks on St. Patrick’s Day doesn’t have to turn dangerous.
A tradition since 1993, SoberRide will again be giving a free lift home to people who shouldn’t be driving.
The service runs from 4 p.m. Tuesday until 4 a.m. Wednesday.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 55 percent of all traffic deaths on St. Patrick’s Day are a result of alcohol-impaired drivers.
“What we want to emphasize is people should come out and have fun, but don’t be foolish,” says D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser.
SoberRide offers a free lift, up to a $30 fare, to people 21 years of age and older.
“Behind the scenes, they’re actually fully-paid cab rides so that it’s free to the user, but they come up in each of the queues for the cab companies as paid cab rides,” says Kurt Erickson, president of the Washington Regional Alcohol Program.
Nine cab companies across the region participate in the program.
If safety alone isn’t a sufficient reason to find another way home, AAA’s Lon Anderson says the costs of a DUI are steep.
“A drunk driving arrest can cost one thousands of dollars, it can cost people their jobs,” he says.
The phone number for SoberRide is 800-200-TAXI (8294).
