WASHINGTON – Rather than get behind the wheel drunk Thursday night, tipsy trick-or-treaters can catch a free ride home.
“The scary fact is that more than half (52 percent) of all U.S. traffic deaths occurring during Halloween are caused by drunk drivers,” said Kurt Gregory Erickson, president of the nonprofit Washington Regional Alcohol Program.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 172 people died in drunken driving crashes from 2007 to 2011.
Young men between the ages of 21 and 34 are particularly as risk of being in drunken driving crashes, the safety administration said.
“I can’t think of a single valid excuse someone would render for getting behind the wheel of a car possibly impaired,” Erickson said.
Free cab rides through WRAP’s SoberRide program will be offered in the Washington metro area from 10 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31 until 4 a.m. Friday, Nov. 1.
The rides will be free up to a $30 fare for people 21 or older.
Erickson said people don’t need to call a cab company directly.
“You have to go through the central number – 1-800-200-TAXI – and we’ll dispatch a cab for you. And we’ll be running this for six consecutive hours,” he said.
The following cab companies will offer rides through SoberRide:
- Alexandria Yellow Cab (Alexandria)
- Barwood, Inc. (Montgomery County)
- Fairfax Yellow Cab (Fairfax County)
- Loudoun Yellow Cab (Eastern Loudoun County)
- Manassas Cab Company (Prince William County)
- Red Top Cab Company (Arlington County)
- Silver Cab of Prince George’s County (Prince George’s County)
- Yellow Cab of District of Columbia (District of Columbia)
- Yellow Cab of Prince William County (Prince William County)
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