Free Rides Home Offered to Those Who Over-Imbibe
A free ride home is only a phone call away for Orange County residents who drink too much during the holidays.
Through Jan. 2, between 7 p.m. and 3 a.m., residents can call 1 (800) 422-4143 to get a free cab ride from any public place to their home.
The free rides are limited to a 20-mile radius with riders picking up the cost for additional miles.
Last year, the CareCab program provided free cab rides to 250 people in Orange County between Dec. 24 and Jan. 2, said Brad Leathers, assistant administrator at Orange’s CareUnit Hospital, one of the program’s sponsors.
CareCab is co-sponsored by Mothers Against Drunk Driving and CareUnit Hospital in Orange, with Comprehensive Care Corp., the hospital’s owner, paying the bill. MADD provides the volunteers to man the hot line.
“During the holidays some people who normally don’t drink too much do get drunk,” said Janet Cater, director of MADD’s Orange County chapter. “It’s nice to have a safety net for them.”
Those who drink may need a safety net more this year than in the past. At midnight on Dec. 31, prime time for New Year’s Eve parties, the legal blood alcohol limit will drop from .10 to .08.
And the California Highway Patrol has stepped up its enforcement efforts this year, said CHP spokeswoman Angel Johnson.
During the New Year’s weekend, 75% of the department’s available manpower will be on the road, she said.
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