Montgomery County Urges Drivers Celebrating With Alcohol on Cinco de Mayo to Plan Safe Travel Options – MocoFeed

The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT), Police Department (MCPD) and Alcohol Beverage Services (ABS) are urging residents who choose to celebrate with alcohol during the upcoming Cinco de Mayo weekend to drink responsibly and to plan ahead for a safe ride home.

The Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) will operate enhanced patrols on Cinco de Mayo to detect and deter drunk drivers. To aid that effort, MCDOT is offering safe ride resources to residents who are planning to celebrate the holiday.

“According to a recent National Highway Traffic Safety Administration study, over a third of U.S. traffic deaths on Cinco de Mayo involve drunk drivers,” said MCDOT Director Chris Conklin. “Drunk driving deaths are 100% preventable. We have a number of resources in place to assist you in getting home safely, including SoberRide and a robust public transit system. If you are planning to celebrate by drinking alcohol, make sure your plans include a safe ride home.”

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Residents are urged to make plans before heading out to celebrate and to consider using one of the following safe ride options:

• SoberRide is a free ride home program for adults offered through the Washington Regional Alcohol Program (WRAP) in partnership with Lyft. WRAP’s SoberRide® program  will be in operation beginning at 4 p.m. on Monday, May 5 (Cinco de Mayo) through 4 a.m. on Tuesday, May 6. Participants must be age 21or older.

• MCDOT’s Ride On bus service is available with a fare of $1. There are currently 80 routes throughout the County that operate daily. Download MCDOT’s free regional public transit app, Ride On Trip Planner , to plan your next trip.

• Montgomery County’s Vision Zero initiative offers a listing of year-round safe ride options on its webpage .

Maryland drivers found guilty of driving under the influence can face loss of license, hefty fines and jail time .

“Our officers will be proactively on patrol during Cinco de Mayo working to keep our roads safe, but safety starts with each of us by making responsible decisions,” said Montgomery County Police Chief Marc Yamada. “If you plan to celebrate, please make sure that you have a sober ride home. One poor decision can lead to a serious collision or DUI and a lifetime of regret. We want everyone to enjoy the holiday and to get home safely.”

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Montgomery County businesses that sell or serve alcohol receive ongoing training from ABS to prevent the sale of alcohol to anyone who appears intoxicated or underage.

“ABS partners with licensed beer and wine stores, restaurants and specialty venues to make sure they have the tools they need to sell or serve alcohol responsibly,” said ABS director Kathie Durbin. “We provide free training to businesses and their employees even before they get a license. Then we follow up with educational visits to their facilities to reinforce our shared goals of preventing overconsumption, drunk driving and under 21-alcohol use. Working together with businesses and the communities we serve, we encourage everyone to help lower the risk of unsafe alcohol behavior this Cinco de Mayo and always.”

ABS manages alcohol licensing, enforcement and education for more than 1,000 businesses. In addition to robust education campaigns for license holders and the public, ABS conducts compliance checks to ensure that alcohol is not being served to anyone under 21 years old.

For information on MCDOT programs and services visit montgomerycountymd.gov/mcdot , follow @MCDOTNow on X , Bluesky , Instagram , Facebook  and subscribe  to MCDOT’s “Go Montgomery!” newsletter.

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