(NBC 26) — The Tavern League of Wisconsin (TLW) is offering free rides this New Year’s Eve to help combat drunk driving across the state.
The League says it always encourages responsible drinking, but its SafeRide program is there for nights when neighbors have had one too many. The program is run by TLW member establishments statewide and overseen by the Department of Transportation.
To use SafeRide, download the TLW app or visit its website to see if a bar or restaurant is a member of the league. If it is, customers can ask a bartender or other employee for help getting home. The employee will then call your ride, free of charge. SafeRide will only bring customers to their home. It is not permitted to bring riders to other bars, restaurants or gas stations.
SafeRide doesn’t just run over New Year’s. The program has been helping neighbors get home during every season for 40 years. TLW says the program has provided more than 1 million rides since 2004. It adds that these rides have contributed to a 44% decrease in OWI convictions and 50% decline in alcohol-related fatalities in Wisconsin since 2007.
The program costs nearly $1 million to run. Those funds come from TLW members and surcharges on state OWI convictions.
In other efforts to promote safe and sober driving this holiday season, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is running its “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” and “Drive High, Get a DUI” campaigns. Some local law enforcement agencies have announced that they will be teaming up with NHTSA for these campaigns, so drivers can expect an increased law enforcement presence on the road throughout the rest of the holiday rush. That rush lasts through New Year’s Day on Jan. 1, according to AAA.
