Tips: Get Home Safe this New Year’s Eve

DENVER (Dec. 30, 2019) – Did you know a third of all traffic fatalities involve drunk drivers? This New Year's Eve, don't be a statistic: Take responsibility and action to avoid additional alcohol-related crashes as 2019 comes to a close. 

Safe Ride Services

Across Colorado, there are several services that can get revelers home safely. Partygoers should plan on leaving their cars at home. Roadside assistance will be available to AAA members, but it is not to be meant used solely because someone is under the influence or as an alternative to a designated driver or safe-ride service.

A comprehensive list of safe-ride services, statewide, is available at aaa.com/saferide. 

Some highlights:

• Call 1-800-829-4222 (TAXICAB) to be connected to taxi services around Colorado.
• RTD will be offering free bus and rail service on its entire system from 7:00 pm on New Year's Eve until 7:00 am on New Year's Day. Plan your trip here.  
• Aspen’s Tipsy Taxi program, now in its 36th year, operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in partnership with the Pitkin County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from Aspen and Snowmass Village Police and the local restaurant association. Revelers should ask their bartender to make the call.
• In the Denver-metro area, The Sawaya Law Firm is continuing its free cab ride program through January 1, 2020. More information is available here. 
• In Colorado Springs and Pueblo, McDivitt Law Firm will be providing free cab rides home from any drinking establishment. In Pueblo, call City Cab at 719-543-2525. In Colorado Springs, call zTrip at 719-777-7777. Tell the cab driver “It’s on McDivitt." You can also redeem $20 in Lyft ride credits using the in-app code MCDIVITTLAW. More information is available here.

Tips for New Year's Revelers

Preventing drinking and driving is a shared responsibility to save lives. New Year's Eve partygoers can do their part by heeding the following advice:

• Always plan ahead to designate a non-drinking driver before any party or celebration begins.
• Never get behind the wheel of a car when you've been drinking alcohol – even after just one drink.
• Never ride as a passenger in a car driven by someone who has been drinking alcohol – even after just one drink.
• Do not hesitate to take the keys from friends or family members who may be impaired.
• Call a taxi or arrange a Lyft or Uber ride for a friend in need.
• If you encounter an impaired driver on the road, keep a safe distance and ask a passenger to call 911 (or pull over to a safe location to make the call yourself).
• Remember: Prescription, over-the-counter medications and illegal drugs can also impair your ability to drive safely.

"If you drink, don't drive. And if you have to drive, don't drink," said AAA Colorado spokesman Skyler McKinley. "DUIs and the tragic crashes that often result are completely avoidable when everyone is aware of the issue and actively pursues alternatives to driving drunk, including ride sharing, designated drivers, and non-alcoholic beverages."

About AAA Colorado
More than 695,000 members strong, AAA Colorado is the state’s greatest advocate for the safety and security of all travelers. As North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides more than 60 million members with travel, insurance, financial, and automotive-related services — as well as member-exclusive savings. A not-for-profit organization since its founding in 1923, AAA Colorado has been recognized as the number one Colorado company its size for its advocacy, community engagement, and corporate social responsibility efforts – and is a proud member of Points of Light’s “The Civic 50 Colorado,” recognizing the 50 most community-minded companies in the state. For more information, visit AAA.com.