Get Free Lyft Rides Tonight, Oct. 28, In Montgomery County

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD — While many people are excited to celebrate Halloween, don't risk your life or others when partying in Montgomery County. The nonprofit organization Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP) partnered with the ridesharing service Lyft to provide WRAP’s SoberRide service in the Washington-metropolitan area on Saturday, Oct. 28.

Residents can use the popular and free safe ride service SoberRide from 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 28 to 4 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 29. This is a way to keep local roads safe from impaired drivers during a traditionally high-risk period.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly half (45 percent) of all U.S. traffic deaths involve drunk drivers on Halloween.

“In 2015 and according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 45-percent of all U.S. traffic fatalities during Halloween involved drunk drivers,” Kurt Gregory Erickson, WRAP’s president, said in a statement. “Compounding matters, 21-to-35 year-olds account for nearly two-thirds (64%) of U.S. traffic deaths on Halloween night 2015.”

Montgomery County residents age 21 or older celebrating with alcohol can download Lyft to their phones, then enter the code DCHALLOWEEN in the app's 'Promo' section to receive their no cost (up to $15 fare) safe transportation home. The SoberRide code is valid for the first 1,500 Lyft users who enter the code.

While SoberRide provides a free ride home up to a $15 fare, callers must pay for any fare over $15.

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.

The charity also offers its SoberRide program on Cinco de Mayo, St. Patrick’s Day, Independence Day, and the winter holidays this year starting on December 15, 2017 and operating through and including New Year’s Eve.

Before SoberRide partnered with Lyft, residents used to have to call an 800 number to receive a free cab ride home.

Since 1993, WRAP has provided over 67,991 safe rides home in the Washington area. More information about WRAP’s SoberRide initiative can be found at www.soberride.com.

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