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SoberRide Efforts Sets St. Patrick's Day Record
March 21, 2012
“SoberRideEfforts Sets St. Patrick’s Day Record”
- The SunGazette Newspapers headline, 3-19-12
March 20, 2012- A total of 606 Washington-arearesidents took advantage of WRAP’s 2012 St. Patrick’s Day SoberRideprogram. For SoberRide’s hours of operation, this past weekend, thislevel of ridership translates into SoberRideremoving a would-be drunk driver from Greater Washington’s roadways every71-seconds.
This past weekend’s ridershiprepresents a new record for WRAP’s St. Patrick’s Day SoberRide programbreaking the previous record of 603 free cab rides home provided during WRAP’s2007 St. Patrick’s Day campaign (as well as last year’s St. Patrick’s Dayridership of 547).
WRAP’s 2012 St. Patrick’s Day SoberRidecampaign began on Saturday, March 17th at 6:00 pm and continueduntil 6:00 am on Sunday as a way to keep local roads safe from impaired driversduring this traditionally high-risk Irish holiday.
During SoberRide’s 12-hourperiod, area residents celebrating with alcohol could call the toll-free SoberRidephone number 1 – 800 – 200 – TAXI and be afforded a no-cost (up to a $ 30fare), safe way home. Local taxicab companies throughout theWashington-metropolitan area provided this no-cost service to local residentsage 21 and older who otherwise may have attempted to drive home after drinking.
SoberRide was offered in the District ofColumbia; 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 St. Patrick’sDay SoberRide offering included Anheuser-Busch, AT&T, Diageo,MillerCoors, Red Top Cab, Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington,Volkswagen Group of America and the Washington Area New Automobile DealersAssociation.
In addition, seven of theWashington-metropolitan area’s better-known Irish restaurants have also unitedto ensure a safe St. Patrick’s Day celebration this year by sponsoring SoberRide.These dining establishments include: The Dubliner Restaurant & Pub (DC);Fadó (DC); James Hoban’s Irish Restaurant & Bar (DC); Kelly's Irish Times(DC); Martin's Tavern est. 1933 (DC); Murphy’s Grand Irish Pubs (DC & VA);and Siné Irish Pub (VA).
Participating taxicab companies included: 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 ofPrince William County.
Since 1993, WRAP’s SoberRideprogram has provided 55,479 free cab rides home to would-be drunk drivers inthe Greater Washington area. For more information about this or other WRAPprograms, please feel free to contact me by telephone at 703-893-0461 or viaemail at marcela@wrap.org.
