If you plan to raise your glass in a toast or two to the new year, there’s now another way in which to get home safely, thanks to a Toronto-based personal injury and disability law firm.
Chris Schiffmann, principal lawyer of Schiffmann Injury Lawyers, is offering $5,000 worth of free taxi and ride-share rides on New Year’s Eve in an effort to prevent drunk driving injuries.
It’s known as the Schiffmann Injury Lawyers Sober Ride Home program, and it will reimburse the costs of Uber, taxi or Lyft rides home on a first-come, first-served basis.
This New Year’s Eve, the free-rides program will provide safe transportation for more than 140 people.
It’s a move that’s being applauded by York Regional Police as it reports today, Dec. 30, that shortly after 2 p.m., a driver was arrested for impaired near Kennedy Road and Hwy. 7 in Markham.
“Sadly, impaired driving happens anywhere and at any time,” York police said on social media.
While no injuries were reported in this most recent alleged drunk driving incident, Schiffmann said he has seen “unbelievable tragedies” befall the victims of drunk and impaired driving.
"With this program, I hope to encourage people not to get behind the wheel after they have been drinking on New Year's Eve and, hopefully, prevent fatalities and injuries resulting from drunk and impaired driving collisions," Schiffmann said.
Here’s how the program works:
- The law firm will reimburse taxi fares and ride-share fees up to $35 in order to encourage people to make good choices and choose not to get behind the wheel after drinking.
- The program is capped at $5,000 in total reimbursements and is available to people in the Greater Toronto Area, including Newmarket, for New Year's Eve, Dec. 31, 2019.
- People can submit a proof of ride (e.g. a screenshot of their receipt) for reimbursement on the firm's website.
- Only one reimbursement request will be honored per person.
- Only rides between Dec. 31, 2019 and Jan. 1, 2020 will be honored.
- The deadline for submissions is Monday, Jan. 6, 2020 at 5 p.m. and will be paid until the Schiffmann Law’s Sober Ride Home program’s budget of $5,000 has been reached.
- Reimbursement for eligible submissions will be made via PayPal, Venmo, or Mailed Check within 10 to 14 business days from Jan. 6, 2020.
- The information which you submit is kept private and confidential and not used for any purpose other than reimbursement under this program.
Schiffmann said his firm wants to do its part to keep people safe and encourage New Year's Eve celebrants to avoid driving drunk or accepting a ride from a driver who is intoxicated.
Schiffmann Injury Lawyers is a boutique law firm which specializes in personal injury and disability law. Their expert legal team handles a wide variety of cases, including traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, car accidents, pedestrian accidents, motorcycle and bicycle accidents, claims for long-term disability benefits and critical illness benefit claims, slip and falls accidents, as well as for families whose loved ones have been killed as the result of someone's negligence.
Over the years, the law firm has seen the injuries and often life-changing effects caused in motor vehicle collisions where alcohol or drugs are involved. Hundreds of people are killed or seriously injured each year, according to Mothers Against Drunk Driving.
Crashes involving alcohol and/or drugs are a leading criminal cause of death in Canada, the group says. Every day on average, four Canadians are killed and many more are injured in alcohol and/or drug-related motor vehicle collisions.
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