St. Patrick's Day Sober Rides Back As Precaution In DC Region

WASHINGTON, DC — Despite guidance that residents are safer at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Washington Regional Alcohol Program will bring back the free sober ride for St. Patrick's Day.

The nonprofit Washington Regional Alcohol Program typically offers the free SoberRide program in partnership with Lyft on high-risk holidays for impaired driving. Although COVID-19 safety protocols remain in place, the nonprofit sees the SoberRide program as a "necessary safety net" for the holiday on March 17.

"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. "We therefore urge all Greater Washington area residents to respect public health restrictions this St. Patrick’s Day. 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."

The SoberRide program will be offered from 4 p.m. on Wednesday, March 17 to 2 a.m. on Thursday, March 18. Residents aged 21 and up can use the Lyft app to enter the SoberRide code in the app's "Promo" section to receive transportation valued up to $15. Riders are responsible for the cost beyond $15. The St. Patrick’s Day SoberRide promo code will be posted at 3 p.m. on March 17 on www.SoberRide.com.

SoberRide is available in Lyft’s Washington, D.C. coverage area, which includes the District of Columbia; Arlington County, Fairfax County, cities of Falls Church, Fairfax, Alexandria, Manassas and Manassas Park, parts of Loudoun and Prince William Counties, and the Maryland counties of Montgomery and Prince George's.

St. Patrick's Day 2020 was the last holiday before residents and businesses started seeing coronavirus-related restrictions and closures. This year, social distancing requirements and other guidelines are in place at restaurants that typically host patrons for St. Patrick's Day. For instance, DC restricts indoor dining to 25 percent, requires tables to be six feet apart, and stops alcohol sales and on-site consumption at 10 p.m. Virginia requires dining areas and alcohol sales to end at midnight and requires six feet of spacing between tables.

The SoberRide program has provided 80,102 free safe rides home in the Greater Washington area since 1991. SoberRide also operates during the December and January holiday season, Cinco de Mayo, Independence Day and Halloween.