Captain Morgan will donate $25,000 to Designated Drivers Foundation to fund free safe rides home for Las Vegas residents throughout New Year’s Eve weekend.
The donation was made via the brand’s First Mate Fund, which was established to benefit non-profit organizations that support responsible drinking and other community initiatives. To date, Captain Morgan has donated more than $500,000 to non-profit organizations throughout the country.
Free rides will be available starting at 8 p.m. PST on Friday, Dec. 30, 2011 through noon PST on Sunday, January 1, 2012. Las Vegas residents 21 years of age and older should call (702) 456-RIDE to arrange a safe ride home in their own vehicle.
According to data published by the Nevada Highway Patrol, 84 people were arrested in Las Vegas on DUI charges on New Year’s Eve 2010 and 72 people the previous year. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic and Safety, the average number of deaths from alcohol-related crashes on New Year’s is almost 150 percent higher than the average for the same day of the week during the holiday season.
Designated Drivers Foundation was founded in Las Vegas by Billie Smith and has since expanded throughout Nevada and Phoenix, Arizona. The 501(3)(c) Non-Profit Organization was designed to create awareness about the perils of drinking and driving, educate the public about available driving programs, and fund sensible alternatives to drinking and driving.
This is the second year in a row Captain Morgan has partnered with Designated Drivers Foundation. In early 2011, the brand saved the Designated Drivers Super Bowl Safe Rides program by making a $20,000 donation and providing over 300 sober rides home.
WHEN: 8:00 p.m. Friday, Dec. 30, 2011 12:00 p.m. on Sunday, Jan. 1, 2012
WHERE: Las Vegas, NV
