Local police departments and safety programs are aiming to improve highway safety through sobriety checkpoints and free cab rides for intoxicated drivers during the holiday season.
The Washington Regional Alcohol Program offers free cab rides from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m. through Jan. 1 for people who are too intoxicated to drive home. "SoberRide" pays up to $50 in cab fare. The program is also available on Halloween, St. Patrick's Day and Independence Day.
SoberRide is only available to people 21 and older, and advanced reservations cannot be placed.
Anthony Chesbro, a sophomore in the School of International Service, said he would use the service if he were over 21.
"I'd like to see this service extended, but I don't think legally you can," Chesbro said. "But morally you should."
A dispatcher from the American Cab Association, one of the participating cab companies, said it received between zero and five SoberRide requests most nights last December, but received a lot more last New Year's Eve. According to WRAP, 661 free cab rides were given last New Year's Eve. More than 25,000 free rides have been provided in the D.C. area since 1993.
"It's comforting to know that there are free cab rides available, because it's easy to say you're going to be the designated driver and then go out and drink," said Caitlyn Becker, a sophomore in the School of Communication.
To get a free taxi ride, dial 1-800-200-TAXI. Cingular cell phone users can send a text message to "taxi," or 8294.
In another effort to stop drunken driving, the Metropolitan Police Department is participating in "Checkpoint Strikeforce," a cooperative drunken-driving prevention effort between mid-Atlantic state police departments. Police departments in D.C., Maryland and Virginia will have checkpoints once a week between now and New Year's Day. The MPD will extend checkpoint hours to catch happy-hour drunken drivers, according to WRAP.
Sobriety checkpoints are the most effective way to fight drunken driving since they target times and locations when and where drunken driving will probably occur, according to the Washington anti-alcohol program. Checkpoint Strikeforce is enforced on the Fourth of July and throughout December.
There have been 13 checkpoints in D.C. this year, which have resulted in 50 arrests for driving while intoxicated, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Anthony Tellish, a sophomore in the School of Public Affairs, drives between D.C. and Maryland and said if the checkpoints prevent just one accident, they are worth it.
"More than once I've had to drive with great caution and fear because of a drunk driver driving too close to me on Maryland highways," Tellish said. "These checkpoints would help me feel somewhat safer on the road."
Last year there were 34 drunken driving-related deaths in D.C., and 679 drunken driving-related deaths in D.C., Maryland and Virginia combined.
