The Davidson County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) celebrates its 31st year of providing free, safe, and sober rides home to those ringing in the New Year in Nashville. The project aims to save lives and is completely run by DCSO employee volunteers. Three pick-up locations around the county will be provided, including: Second Avenue and Church Street; Demonbreun Street at the Roundabout; and Five Points in East Nashville.
“For 31 years now, employees from the sheriff’s office are offering sober rides home to those who have had too much to drink. All you have to do is go to one of our Sober Ride pick-up locations,” Sheriff Daron Hall said. “The Sober Ride program is a Nashville tradition and we are proud to continue offering this free service year after year. Residents and visitors alike should make the right decision and go to one of these locations to get a sober ride.”
All drivers are sheriff’s office employees and many of the more than 100 volunteers have made Sober Ride their New Year’s Eve tradition. Volunteers took more than 800 people home last year. Drivers will take people home or to a hotel, not to another party or bar, and serves Davidson County only. Operating hours are from 10 pm New Year’s Eve to 2 am New Year’s Day. No reservations accepted.
“Nashville is a top destination city for New Year’s Eve, so we will have a lot of tourists and locals celebrating in front of a national audience. For the first time ever, the downtown celebration is being featured on Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve television special,” Hall said. “We want everyone to have a fantastic night; however, the most important decision you can make this holiday, or any day for that matter, is to not drink and drive. Anyone drinking this New Year’s Eve should choose a sober ride, arrive home safely, and stay out of our jail.”
Hall encourages anyone in the downtown area to make alternative plans for a sober ride. Adding it’s “virtually impossible” to effectively move many people out of the downtown area when crowd expectations are projected to be over 75,000. The closest Sober Ride pick-up location near the downtown festivities is Second Avenue and Church Street.
