Free Lyft Rides Available For 2018 Christmas Season In Alexandria

ALEXANDRIA, VA—While Christmas can be a time to relax and enjoy some eggnog or mulled wine with friends and family, officials urge residents to not risk lives by drinking and driving. The nonprofit organization Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP) will again partner with Lyft to provide a SoberRide service in Alexandria and the region for the extended Christmas holiday.

Rides will be available from Friday, Dec. 14 to Monday, Dec. 31 nightly from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. Residents 21 and older can enter the SoberRide promo code into the Lyft app's "promo" section to get a ride up to $15. Promo codes will be posted at SoberRide.com on Dec. 14, 22 and 31.

The offer is good for new and existing Lyft users. Customers will cover the additional cost of a ride over $15.

SoberRide is offered throughout Lyft’s Washington, D.C. coverage area, which includes all or parts of the District of Columbia; the Virginia counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun and Prince William; independent cities of Alexandria, Fairfax, Falls Church, Manassas and Manassas Park; and the Maryland counties of Montgomery and Prince George's.

"Last December, nearly 2,000 (1,838) Greater Washington residents did the right thing and availed themselves of this lifesaving service rather than possibly driving home impaired," said WRAP President Kurt Gregory Erickson in a statement. "For SoberRide's hours of operation on New Year's alone, this level of ridership (1,225) translated into SoberRide removing a would-be drunk driver from Greater Washington’s roadways nearly every 23 seconds."

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 885 people died in crashes involving a drunk driver across the U.S. in December 2017. SoberRide has provided 73,510 free safe rides home to keep impaired drivers off roads in the DC region since 1991. The program is also offered on St. Patrick’s Day, Cinco de Mayo, Independence Day and Halloween.

Image via Renee Schiavone/Patch