Events

Free Lyft rides coming to D.C. area for Cinco de Mayo

Free rides will be available throughout the D.C. area during Cinco de Mayo celebrations next month.

From 4 p.m. Monday, May 5 until 4 a.m. Tuesday, May 6, residents age 21 and over will be able to receive free Lyft rides worth up to $15. A promotional code will be published at 3 p.m. on www.SoberRide.com.

The Washington Regional Alcohol Program operates its SoberRide initiative on several holidays throughout the year.

Like many festive events, Cinco de Mayo tends to bring an uptick in drunk driving. In 2023, over a third of U.S. traffic fatalities on Cinco de Mayo involved a drunk driver.

In Arlington, one alcohol-related crash took place on the holiday in both 2024 and 2023, though no fatalities occurred, according to the Arlington County Police Department.

The SoberRide program is also available during St. Patrick’s Day, Independence Day, Halloween, several winter holidays and the Super Bowl. The program has offered nearly 95,000 free sober rides in the D.C. area since 1991.

About the Author

  • Katie Taranto is a reporter at Local News Now, primarily covering business, public safety and the city of Falls Church. She graduated from the University of Missouri in 2024, where she previously covered K-12 education at The Columbia Missourian. She is originally from Macungie, Pennsylvania.