Lyft Offers Free Rides For PG County Residents On 4th Of July

BOWIE, MD — While many people will toast the Fourth of July, it's easy to overindulge. To keep you from putting yourself and others at risk, the nonprofit organization Washington Regional Alcohol Program partnered with the ridesharing service Lyft to provide WRAP's SoberRide service in the DC region on Wednesday, July 4 to Thursday, July 5.

Residents can use the popular and free safe ride service SoberRide from 7 p.m. July 4 to 4 a.m. July 5. 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, over 40 percent of all U.S. traffic deaths involve drunk drivers on July 4th.

Prince George's County residents age 21 or older celebrating with alcohol can download Lyft to their phones, then enter a promo code in the app's 'Promo' section to receive their no cost (up to $15 fare) safe transportation home. The promo code will be posted at 5 p.m. July 4 here.

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.

"Over forty-percent (41%) of all U.S. traffic fatalities during the Independence Day holiday in 2016 involved drunk drivers according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration," Kurt Gregory Erickson, WRAP's President, said in a statement. "Worse, two-thirds of those killed in drunk driving crashes during the 2016 Independence Day period had BACs of .15 or higher."

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 72,377 safe rides home in the Washington area.

(Photo via Shutterstock)