Desert Attorney Offers Free Taxi Rides For New Year’s

Popping the bubbly on New Year’s and then hopping behind the wheel can be a deadly decision, according to Walter Clark, a Palm Desert attorney who is sponsoring the Fifth Annual “Safe Ride Home” program.

Airport Taxi, American Cab and Yellow Cab of the Desert are participating in the program.

It is designed to keep drunken drivers off the roads and to help ring in a happy new year.

Clark said he will spend more than $5,000 to give more than 200 free taxi rides home to any drunk person at a local bar, restaurant or hotel without a safe ride home.

The taxi rides will only be provided one way, and there is a 15-mile limit from the place of pick-up to the intoxicated person’s home or wherever they plan on staying that night.

Rides from one bar or hotel to another will not be allowed.

Prearranged rides are also prohibited.

Clark said he is not encouraging people to get drunk at a party and then use the the taxi service as a shuttle to go binge drinking — bouncing from one party to another.

“It probably should be from a residence, but its easier for the cabs to be efficient, picking people up at businesses and being sure that they go home, rather than to another party,” said Clark.

Clark said, “Safe Ride Home,” is designed to help people who go out, have a few more drinks then they thought they would, and can’t drive themselves home.

The free rides start at 6 p.m., ending at 2 a.m. on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

Airport Taxi (760) 328-CABS(2227) American Cab (760) 322-4444 Yellow Cab of the Desert (760) 340-TAXI(8294)