Free cab rides offered for St. Patrick's Day

In an effort to prevent drunk driving on St. Patrick's Day, the nonprofit Washington Regional Alcohol Program has launched a free cab ride service throughout the Washington-metropolitan area.

The 2016 St. Patty's Day SoberRide® program will begin at 4:00 pm today, Thursday, March 17, and continue until 4:00 am tomorrow, Friday, March 18, as a way to keep local roads safe from impaired drivers during this traditionally high-risk holiday.

Nearly two-thirds of all U.S. traffic deaths are caused by drunk drivers.

Washington-metropolitan area residents who've had a little to much to drink while celebrating the holiday may call the toll-free SoberRide® phone number 1-800-200-TAXI (8294) and be afforded a no-cost (up to a $ 30 fare), safe way home.

AT&T wireless customers can dial #WRAP for the same service.

Local taxicab companies throughout the Washington-metropolitan area provide this no-cost service to local residents age 21 and older who otherwise may have attempted to drive home after drinking.

SoberRide® is offered in the District of Columbia; throughout the Maryland counties of Montgomery and Prince George's; and throughout the Northern Virginia counties of Arlington, Fairfax, (eastern) Loudoun and Prince William.

The nonprofit [501(c)(3)] Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP) was founded in 1982, and is a coalition of diverse interests using effective education, innovative programs and targeted advocacy to end alcohol-impaired driving and underage drinking in the Washington, DC metro area.

Through public education, innovative health education programs and advocacy, WRAP is credited with historically keeping the metro-Washington area's alcohol-related traffic deaths lower than the national average. Since 1993, WRAP's SoberRide® program has provided 64,641 free cab rides home to would-be drunk drivers in the Greater Washington area.