Uber offering free St. Patrick's Day rides in Indianapolis

If you pick up one too many green beers while celebrating this weekend, you can leave it to Uber to get you home safely.

The ride-sharing service will be offering free rides throughout the Indianapolis area on St. Patrick’s Day to encourage people to plan ahead and avoid driving drunk.

If you enter promo code "INDYSTPATS" into the Uber app when requesting a ride, it will be free up to $15. The code will be available from 11 a.m. Saturday and to 3 a.m. Sunday.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, from 2012 to 2016, the St. Patrick’s Day holiday period saw the loss of 269 lives due to drunk-driving crashes from 2012 to 2016. In 2016, 60 people were killed in alcohol fueled crashes over the St. Patrick’s Day holiday period.

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Uber and Mothers Against Drunk Driving are also thanking all the people who are stepping up and serving as designated drivers across the state this weekend.

“We applaud Uber giving free rides to people in Indianapolis on St. Patrick’s Day, one of the most dangerous holidays on our roads,” MADD National President Colleen Sheehey-Church said in a statement. “Designating a driver is an important part of our campaign to eliminate drunk driving and I urge people who drink alcohol to opt out of driving and instead use an Uber or call a non-drinking friend to get home safe.”

Officials estimate that two-thirds of Americans will be impacted by drunk driving at some point in their lives.

Call IndyStar reporter Justin L. Mack at (317) 444-6138. Follow him on Twitter: @justinlmack.