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Drinking on New Year’s Eve? How to get a free ride home in the DC area

If you’re planning on partying on New Year’s Eve, you don’t have to look far to find a free ride home in the D.C. area.

The Washington Regional Alcohol Program’s SoberRide initiative is in operation from 10 p.m. Tuesday to 4 a.m. Wednesday.

Through the program, those 21 and older can enter the “SoberRide” code in the Lyft app’s “payment tab” to get a ride up to $15 covered for free.


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You can find those promo codes posted on SoberRide.com at 9 p.m. New Year’s Eve.

The goal is to keep drunk drivers off the roads and get everyone home safe after a night of ringing in 2025, according to the program’s organizers.

“Over a third of all U.S. traffic fatalities during Christmas and New Year’s in 2022 involved drunk drivers, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,” said Kurt Erickson, the Washington Regional Alcohol Program’s president.

On New Year’s Eve last year, more than 800 people used the free service through SoberRide.

“Lyft is dedicated to providing access to reliable and responsible rides, and we’re proud to partner with programs like WRAP to offer Lyft as an alternative to impaired driving,” said Kamillah Wood, Lyft’s director of public policy for community safety.

“Through our Roadway Safety Program and our partnerships with the public, we hope to empower our community with the tools to protect themselves and those around them this holiday season.”

If you’re planning on taking Metrorail or Metrobus on New Year’s Eve, there’s some good news: Fares on both the rail and bus will be free from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m.

The deal comes from a partnership with Metro and Miller Lite and Coors Light’s Free Rides Program. So, no worries if you leave that SmarTrip card at home, because you won’t need it to ride on New Year’s Eve.

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