Make Your Holiday Celebrations Memorable With Safe Rides From LYFT

KENTUCKY DISTILLERS’ ASSOCIATION LEADS COALITION OFFERING FREE LYFT RIDES TO PREVENT IMPAIRED DRIVING DURING THE HOLIDAY SEASON

For Immediate Release – December 19, 2019

LOUISVILLE, KY –The Safe Ride KY coalition today announced that it is offering $10,000 worth of free rides over the upcoming holidays to complement DUI enforcement efforts and prevent impaired driving on Kentucky roadways.

Individuals can claim $10 in ride credits by downloading the Lyft app on their phones, entering promo code SAFERIDEKY2020 and ordering a ride home.

Rides can be taken between 5 p.m., Friday, December 20, and 5 a.m., Wednesday, January 1 – wherever Lyft is available in Kentucky, while supplies last.

The code and more information can be found online at www.saferideky.org.

The Safe Ride KY coalition is led by the Kentucky Distillers’ Association and joined by the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of Kentucky, Becker Law Office, Independent Stave Company, Buzick Construction, AAA of Kentucky and supported by the Kentucky Office of Highway Safety and Louisville Metro Councilman Brandon Coan (D-8).

“We are proud to lead the coalition in offering discounted safe rides this holiday season for the third consecutive year,” KDA President Eric Gregory said. “We encourage all who will be venturing out to celebrate to do so responsibly and plan your transportation ahead of time.”

Since its founding in 2017, the non-profit Safe Ride KY coalition has been providing sober rides during high-traffic holidays throughout the year. Messaging is promoted to consumers of legal drinking age online and in bars, liquor stores and other retail environments where beverage alcohol is sold.

The group so far has delivered nearly 9,000 safe rides during the Christmas, New Year’s, St. Patrick’s Day, Independence Day, Labor Day and Thanksgiving holidays. The campaign’s success has attracted attention from Offices of Highway Safety in other states across the nation.

“Safe Ride KY’s holiday campaigns continue to have real impact on reducing the number of impaired driving incidents across the Commonwealth,” Gregory said. “It’s a program that produces results by allowing people to plan ahead to celebrate responsibly and get home safely.”

The Kentucky Office of Highway Safety, part of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, and Louisville Metro Police Department remain dedicated to promoting the campaign as an effective complement to their Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over efforts in the coming year.

DUI convictions have decreased steadily over the past five years in Kentucky, dropping from 21,785 in 2014 to 18,567 last year, according to Kentucky State Police data. In Jefferson County, that number was 2,331 in 2014 to a low of 1,447 in 2018.

“We’re proud to support this collaborative Safe Ride KY initiative to make it easier for motorists to make the right choice this holiday season by planning a safe ride home,” Transportation Cabinet Secretary Jim Gray said. “This pairs well with our current Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign to encourage responsible driving and avoid preventable tragedies.”

Josh Hafer of Heaven Hill Distillery, who serves as Chairman of the KDA’s Responsibility Advisory Group, said,  “Responsibility is a year-round effort for all members of the KDA. It is embedded in our marketing, guest services and promotion. Offering Safe Rides is a recognizable extension of that effort.”

With so many safe and affordable options, Safe Ride KY partners hope no one will drive impaired this holiday season and that revelers make it memorable by imbibing responsibly.

Retailers who would like to receive materials to promote the free safe ride code, or groups that would like to sponsor the coalition financially, should contact Mary Gratzer at [email protected].

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For more information, contact Eric Gregory at 859-771-1050

About the KDA:

Founded in 1880, the Kentucky Distillers’ Association is the historic voice for Kentucky’s signature Bourbon and distilled spirits industry. Its diverse and growing membership produces 90 percent of the world’s Bourbon, from legendary, global brands to emerging micro distilleries that are fostering the next generation of the Commonwealth’s timeless craft and treasured economic engine. Member benefits include media relations, international trade development, private sampling events, technical assistance, economic development support, networking, legal defense, marketing strategies, governmental and regulatory advocacy and innovative tourism experiences through the KDA’s world-famous Kentucky Bourbon Trail® and Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour® adventures. The KDA maintains an open membership policy, champions a strong commitment to the responsible and moderate consumption of spirits, and fights to curb underage drinking and drunk driving. Learn more at www.kybourbon.com and www.kybourbontrail.com

KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL®, KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL CRAFT TOUR®, KENTUCKY BOURBON AFFAIR^TM, KBT^TM, and BOURBON TRAIL^TM are trademarks/service marks of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association. Please drink responsibly.

About Safe Ride KY:

Safe Ride KY is a non-profit coalition of public, private, and non-profit entities committed to ending impaired driving in Kentucky. It is led by the Kentucky Distillers’ Association and its members and supported by the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of Kentucky, Independent Stave Company, Buzick Construction, Becker Law Office and District 8 Louisville Councilman Brandon Coan. Safe Ride KY believes that complementing the Kentucky Office of Highway Safety’s education and enforcement efforts with fully-funded safe ride initiatives can empower individuals to make good choices and yield results, particularly during high traffic times like holidays. Visit www.saferideky.org or partner websites for its campaign’s full terms and conditions.