A tad tipsy? Free ride is at service members' service

Ladies and gentlemen, do not start your engines.

If you've been drinking, and you're in the military, you can take a free cab instead.

This comes thanks to the designated-driver campaign "Safe Rides Home," which officially kicked off a local program Thursday morning at Hot Tuna Bar & Grill.

The pilot program provides free taxi rides from local nightspots to service members' homes or military bases within 30 miles.

All they have to do is tell a manager they need a ride.

The campaign is in place at six locations: Hot Tuna, Peabody's and Shorebreak in Virginia Beach and Baxter's, Time and Greenies in Norfolk. The cabs are from Black & White Cabs and Norview Cabs.

The program is sponsored by beverage company Diageo and by Southern Wine & Spirits, which had representatives on hand Thursday along with officials from the state departments of alcoholic beverage control, transportation and motor vehicles.

In Virginia, 821 people died on state roads in 2008, and 42 percent of those deaths were alcohol-related, said John Saunders, director of DMV's highway safety office. So a program like "Safe Rides" is a very welcome thing.

The program began unofficially over the holidays. Barry Becton of Diageo said they will monitor it to get the bugs worked out in the coming months. The plan is to expand to other nightspots.

"We just want to make sure we keep the roads safe," he said.

Shorebreak's Matthew Falvey said he's a big fan of the program. His customers often hesitate to take cabs on their own because they are scarce and expensive.

"Now, hey, it's free," he said, and the program makes sure the drivers get a piece of the action as well.

Also, the cabs have base access, said ABC's Becky Gettings. That means a sailor won't get dropped off at the gate of Norfolk Naval Station and have to walk to his or her ship.

NASCAR driver Jamie McMurray was present for Thursday's kickoff as well. He is sponsored by Diageo's Crown Royal and has participated in the "Safe Rides" program for several years.

Matthew Jones, (757) 446-2949, matthew.jones@pilotonline.com