MORE THAN A THIRD (38%) OF U.S. HIGHWAY DEATHS DURING THE HOLIDAY INVOLVE DRUNK DRIVERS

Washington, DC, December 9– Preparing to combat that time of year when, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), more than a third (38%) of all U.S. traffic deaths involve drunk drivers*, a local nonprofit organization announced today that free safe rides will be offered to would-be drunk drivers throughout the Washington-metropolitan area during the winter holidays beginning on December 20th.  

Offered by the nonprofit Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP), the 2019 Holiday SoberRide® program will be in operation nightly, beginning at 10:00 p.m. until 4:00 a.m.  from December 20, 2019 to January 1, 2020 as a way to keep local roads safe from impaired drivers during this traditionally high-risk holiday.

Each evening, during this six-hour period, area residents age 21 and older celebrating with alcohol may download Lyft to their phones, then enter a SoberRide® code in the app’s “Promo” section to receive their no cost (up to $15) safe transportation home. A separate Holiday SoberRide® promo code will be posted at 9:00 pm on December 20, 27 and 31 on www.SoberRide.com.

Last December, nearly 2,000 (1,988) persons in the Washington-metropolitan area used WRAP’s Holiday SoberRide® program rather than possibly driving home impaired. The charity also offers its SoberRide® program on St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, Independence Day and Halloween.

 “More than a third (38%) of all U.S. traffic fatalities during the holiday season in 2018 involved drunk drivers according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,” said Kurt Gregory Erickson, WRAP’s President.

SoberRide® is offered throughout Lyft’s Washington, D.C. coverage area which includes all or parts of: the District of Columbia; the Maryland counties of Montgomery and Prince George’s; and the Northern Virginia counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William.

“Lyft is proud of the role ridesharing has played in reducing impaired driving across the nation. Here in the DC area, partnering with the Washington Regional Alcohol Program allows us to take our commitment to providing reliable, convenient, and responsible transportation a step further, particularly during times of the year when people are out celebrating and in need of a ride home,” said Steve Taylor, Regional Director, Lyft Washington, D.C.

Sponsors of WRAP’s Holiday SoberRide® campaign include the 395 Express Lanes, AAA Mid-Atlantic, Anheuser-Busch, Brown-Forman, Constellation Brands, District of Columbia Association of Beverage Alcohol Wholesalers, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Giant Food, Glory Days Grill, Heineken, Kendall-Jackson, Lyft, MillerCoors, Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington and the Washington Area New Automobile Dealers Association.

Since 1991, WRAP’s SoberRide® program has provided 78,926 free safe rides home to would-be drunk drivers in the Greater Washington area.

Founded in 1982, the nonprofit [501(c)(3)] Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP) is a coalition of diverse interests using effective education, innovative programs and targeted advocacy to end alcohol-impaired driving and underage drinking in the Washington, DC metro area. Through public education, innovative health education programs and advocacy, WRAP is credited with keeping the metro-Washington area’s alcohol-related traffic deaths historically lower than the national average.

More information about WRAP’s SoberRide® initiative can be found at www.SoberRide.com.

 

*Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, see:

https://www.trafficsafetymarketing.gov/get-materials/drunk-driving/buzzed-driving-drunk-driving/holiday-season