EL PASO, TEXAS (KFOX14/CBS4) — El Paso is offering residents a discounted ride option this Fourth of July weekend as part of an effort to curb drunk driving and encourage people to get home safely.
From Friday until noon Sunday, July 5, the city of El Paso, in an effort with Budweiser, is providing a voucher for Uber rides. The voucher gives riders $10 off an Uber trip.
The initiative is described as a combined effort between the City of El Paso, L&F Distributors of El Paso, Budweiser, and Mothers Against Drunk Driving to combat drunk driving and promote safe riding.
In an Instagram post, El Paso Mayor Renard Johnson announced the voucher and urged residents to be safe during the holiday weekend.
“This Fourth of July I want everyone to have a great time, but importantly I want everyone to make it home safely. If you’re celebrating and plan to drink, please don’t get behind the wheel. If you’ve been drinking, don’t drive. It’s that simple. Driving drunk is a choice, and it’s a choice that can change lives forever. One bad decision can take an innocent life, devastate a family, and change your own future in an instant,” Johnson said, announcing the vouchers.
The vouchers come as law enforcement is urging drivers to plan if they will be drinking this Fourth of July, warning that the holiday brings an increase in alcohol-related crashes.
The El Paso County Sheriff’s Office said during a press conference on Tuesday it will step up patrols alongside El Paso police and have more law enforcement on the ground.
“We are having extra patrols out on that weekend, especially Friday, Saturday and Sunday. We will have several operations going on at our Red Sands location. Obviously that’s our biggest place that people are going to congregate, pop fireworks and have a good time,” said Sgt. Eric Vela of the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office.
The El Paso Police Department also said it is adding extra enforcement throughout the holiday weekend, including DWI enforcement.
Sgt. Javier Sambrano said there will be a unified operation on July 3, 4 and 5.
“If they see a violation involving somebody that is possibly driving under the influence, they are gonna be stopped,” Sambrano said.
RECOMMENDED: El Paso police, crime lab warn of July Fourth spike in alcohol-related crashes
RECOMMENDED: El Paso County boosts patrols and cleanup effort for July 4 weekend
Sign up to receive the top interesting stories from in and around our community once daily in your inbox.