Free Lyft Rides Offered In Montgomery County On New Year's Eve

ROCKVILLE, MD — New Year's Eve is a time of celebration. And for many people, those festivities include alcohol. If you plan on having some, don't get behind the wheel. Instead, arrange for a designated driver, taxi, or ride-sharing service to get you home.

The nonprofit organization Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP) will again partner with Lyft, the popular ride-sharing company, to provide a SoberRide service to the D.C. metro area during the holiday season.

"While we're all safer at home, we are also a public safety organization which regularly looks to mitigate risk," said Kurt Erickson, WRAP's president, said in a statement. "We therefore urge all Greater Washington area residents to stay at home and respect public health restrictions this New Year's. However, if persons do venture out and alcohol is involved, we are all benefited from the safety net role which the region's SoberRide program plays to remove drunk drivers from area roadways."

Rides will be available from 10 p.m. Thursday to 2 a.m. Friday. SoberRide will be offered throughout Lyft's Washington, D.C. coverage area, which includes all or parts of Montgomery and Prince George's counties in Maryland; Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William counties in Virginia, plus the cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas, and Manassas Park; and the District.

Residents 21 years and older can enter the SoberRide promo code in the Lyft app to receive a $15 credit. The offer is good for all Lyft users. Promo codes will be posted on SoberRide.com at 9 p.m. on Thursday.

Last New Year's, 921 people in the D.C. metro area used the SoberRide code, according to a press statement. The program is also offered on St. Patrick's Day, Cinco de Mayo, Independence Day, and Halloween.

"Lyft is proud of the role ride-sharing has played in reducing impaired driving across the nation. Here in the D.C. 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 Lyft MidAtlantic's Robin Burns.