As a means of making the Washington-metropolitan area’s roadways a little less frightening this Halloween, free cab rides will be offered to would-be drunk drivers throughout the Washington metropolitan area on the evening of Saturday, Oct. 30.
Offered by the nonprofit Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP), the Halloween SoberRide program will be in operation beginning at 10 p.m., on Oct. 30 and operate until 6 a.m., on Oct. 31 as a way to keep local roads safe from impaired drivers during this traditionally high-risk, holiday period.
During this eight-hour period, area residents ages 21 and older and celebrating with alcohol may call the toll-free SoberRide phone number 1–800–200–TAXI and be afforded a no-cost (up to a $30 fare), safe way home. AT&T wireless users can call #-TAXI for the same service. Local taxicab companies throughout the metro area provide this no-cost service to local residents age 21 and older who otherwise may have attempted to drive home after drinking.
“The scary fact is that more than half of all U.S. traffic deaths occurring during Halloween are caused by drunk drivers,” said Kurt Gregory Erickson, WRAP’s president, in a press statement.
SoberRide is offered in the District of Columbia; throughout the Maryland counties of Montgomery and Prince George’s; and throughout the Northern Virginia counties of Arlington, Fairfax, (eastern) Loudoun and Prince William.
Sponsors of this year’s Halloween SoberRide offering include: Anheuser-Busch, AT&T, Diageo, Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation, Red Top Cab of Arlington and the Washington Area New Automobile Dealers Association.
Participating taxicab companies include: Alexandria Yellow Cab, Barwood; Fairfax Yellow Cab; Loudoun Yellow Cab; Manassas Cab Company; Red Top Cab; Silver Cab of Prince George’s County; Yellow Cab of D.C.; and Yellow Cab of Prince William County.
More information about WRAP’s SoberRide initiative can be found at www.soberride.com.