MADISON — The Tavern League of Wisconsin kicked off a year-long statewide ad buy this week promoting their award-winning SafeRide Program. The TLW SafeRide Program celebrated 35 years of providing free rides home to patrons. It is the largest alternative transportation program in the country and since 2005 has helped to contribute to a 50% decline in alcohol-related fatalities while experiencing a 142 percent increase in SafeRides home. 

In 2018 the TLW SafeRide program operated in more than 60 counties and provided nearly 93,000 free rides home to TLW patrons who may have had one too many. According to data from the Department of Transportation, since 2005 Wisconsin has seen dramatic decline in alcohol related fatalities, crashes and convictions. Fatalities are down 49% with injuries down 45% and convictions down 44% while crashes are down 30%. 

The national average of fatalities of drivers with a BAC level of 0.08 or greater was 3.3 per 100,000 residents. Wyoming had the worst rate of 7.6 fatalities per 100,000 while New Jersey was the lowest at 1.4 fatalities per 100,000. 

This new data is from the Delphi Health Group and reviewed alcohol related fatalities nationwide in 2017. Wisconsin ranks 29th on the list has the same rate as the national average. There has been a nearly 25% reduction in alcohol related fatalities nationally and nearly 50% reduction of alcohol related fatalities in Wisconsin from 2005 to 2017. Wisconsin has experienced a significant decline in alcohol related fatalities over the last 15 years. Part of the credit for the decline is the tremendous increase in the use of the TLW SafeRide Program.