AAA Mid-Atlantic, Maryland Department of Transportation, and Yellow Cab Partner to Provide Safe, Free Cab Rides to Would-Be Drunk Drivers
TOWSON, MD (Tuesday, March 16, 2010) – AAA Mid-Atlantic, the Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration (SHA) and Yellow Cab will offer free cab rides once again this St. Patrick’s Day holiday to would-be drunk drivers. The joint project combats drunk driving, particularly on holidays that have become synonymous with excessive alcohol-consumption.
St. Patrick’s Day revelers can call 1-877-963-TAXI and Yellow Cab for a safe and free ride (up to $50.00) home within the Baltimore metropolitan area. Balances exceeding $50.00 must be paid by the rider(s).
For many Americans, St. Patrick’s Day has become an all-day long cause for celebration with family and friends. Unfortunately, due to the large volume of impaired drivers, the day has also become very dangerous. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 37 percent of the drivers and motorcyclists involved in fatal crashes had a blood alcohol content of .08 or above, on St. Patrick’s Day in 2008. In that same year, there were 134 crash fatalities on St. Patrick’s Day. Of that number, 50 people were killed in traffic crashes that involved at least one driver or motorcyclist who was legally drunk.
“With St. Patrick’s Day upon us and party plans underway, party-goers should ensure that their party checklist includes a sober driver, which is exactly why we provide the Tipsy?Taxi! service,” states Ragina C. Averella, Public and Government Affairs Manager for AAA Mid-Atlantic.
This year’s Tipsy?Taxi! initiative will begin on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17 at 4 p.m. and will continue through4 a.m. on Thursday, March 18. The program provides free taxi rides to those who are at least 21 years old and have been drinking at a Baltimore City restaurant or bar. Last year, Tipsy?Taxi! provided more than 120 free cab rides on St. Patty’s Day.
“I want to thank AAA Mid-Atlantic and Yellow Cab for partnering with us in Tipsy?Taxi!, a critical tool in the ongoing fight to keep drunk drivers off of the road,” states SHA Administrator and Governor’s Highway Safety Representative Neil J. Pedersen. “Baltimore’s would-be impaired drivers have options, and this St. Patrick’s Day, they can choose a free and safe cab ride.”
Dwight Kines, General Manager of Yellow Cab states, “Yellow Cab is pleased to participate in this worthwhile endeavor once again. It’s our way of keeping the communities we serve safe by giving would-be impaired drivers a safe and free cab ride home.”
“Impaired driving is a crime that can tragically impact any of us. When someone decides to get behind the steering wheel of a car after drinking, they are putting their life, as well as the lives of every motorist and pedestrian at risk,” adds Averella.
“St. Patrick’s Day has become a big party night for many in the Baltimore area. We certainly want people to celebrate responsibly and are encouraging everyone to designate a sober driver before their parties begin. But if you are celebrating in Baltimore, by all means take advantage of the Tipsy?Taxi! Program. Don’t rely on the ‘luck of the Irish’ to keep you safe this St. Patrick’s Day,” the spokeswoman says.
The partners of Tipsy?Taxi! are committed to reducing drunk driving and recognize that holidays tend to be among the most deadly for drunk driving. Volunteers from the organizations handed out more than 2,000 Tipsy?Taxi! key tags in Baltimore’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday to help deliver the Tipsy?Taxi! message.
AAA Mid-Atlantic is based in Wilmington, Del., and serves nearly four million members in the District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey with personal insurance, financial, automotive and travel services through 53 retail branches, regional operations centers and the Internet, at
www.aaa.com/community.
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