Free rides home offered on ‘Blackout Wednesday’ to prevent drunk driving
Jazsmin Halliburton
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Hundreds of free rides will be offered starting Wednesday afternoon, ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday and as the Missouri State Highway Patrol begins the holiday counting period.
According to the Highway Patrol, the night before Thanksgiving is sometimes called “Blackout Wednesday,” a term that has become popular for social gatherings and heavy drinking. Breakthru Beverage Missouri will be partnering with Deep Eddy Vodka to offer 500 free rides home in Columbia, Springfield, St. Louis and Kansas City through the Lyft app.
People will have the opportunity to use the free rides home starting 2 p.m. Wednesday to 2 a.m. Thursday.
Riders must use the code: BBGMOTHANKS2025 to redeem the free trip.
The Missouri Department of Transportation and MSHP are urging caution and patience as Missourians hit the road for the Thanksgiving holiday. In 2024, the Highway Patrol reported 11 people were killed and 64 were seriously injured in crashes during the holiday period. According to MoDoT, the number of statewide deaths in 2025 has reached over 800.
MoDoT is asking travelers to buckle, follow the speed limit and not drive distracted or impaired.