CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It’s the unofficial holiday before the holiday. Wednesday night, on the eve of Thanksgiving, many will be celebrating what’s been dubbed ‘drinksgiving’ or ‘Blackout Wednesday’ -- a night filled with heavy drinking.
"Whether that’s 'I want to get away from my family' or 'I haven’t gotten to my family yet, let me just hang out with friends at the bar,' you see alcohol sales go up,” said Tiffany Wright, President of the AAA Carolinas Foundation for Traffic Safety.
When those alcohol sales go up, Wright said so do the number of drunk driving crashes. For example, last Thanksgiving's data from the North and South Carolina Departments of Transportation show alcohol was a factor in 282 crashes, killing 12 people.
“There’s too many rideshare services with Uber and Lyft that you should not get behind the wheel intoxicated,” Wright said.
In addition to Uber, Lyft and taxis, if you plan to head out in Charlotte, you can also call Jaunt. Wednesday night, they're running from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m.
“Anyone who is out drinking just give us a call and we’ll be right there to give you a ride,” Jaunt founder and CE, EJ Drayton said.
Drayton said the company operates six carts between five of Charlotte’s neighborhoods, including Uptown, South End, NoDa, Plaza Midwood, and Midtown.
Thanks to advertisers, the rides are free.
Drayton says he hopes to roll out an app soon, but in the meantime, to request a ride simply text or call (704)-980-2742, or wave a cart down.
“Making sure that everyone who is out having a good time definitely gets home safe, as well as having that accountability that you can leave your car at home and get a free ride,” Drayton said.
Drayton said Jaunt has been operating in Charlotte for two years, averaging 3,000 rides per month. During the week, they operate Monday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m.