Sober ride service struggles with impaired drivers

By Michael Abeyta

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    COLORADO (KCNC) — On the evening of Saturday, July 2, a driver for Elevate Rides was making a run with a limousine bus near Red Rocks Amphitheatre when they were hit head-on by a sedan.

In the dash cam video provided by the bus company, the Kia sedan is seen crossing the double yellow lines and starting to drive on the wrong side of the road.

There were no passengers on the bus and the driver walked away with minor injuries. The driver of the sedan was killed. Police suspect the driver of the sedan may have been inebriated.

Blair Watkins, the owner of Elevate Rides, says while this was a tragedy because one man lost his life, it could have been much worse.

“The police told our driver if you were in any other vehicle, you would have lost your life as well,” he said.

He says this accident didn’t completely surprise him because this year he has noticed more people are driving themselves to Red Rocks instead of using a ride service like his. If those drivers are drinking or using drugs, it could have deadly consequences.

“The end of the night you’re talking dark, windy roads with 1000s of other people who have potentially been impaired,” said Watkins.

This is the 3rd collision his company has had this year with an impaired driver.

In January, a bus was damaged when it was hit by a drunk driver after a run. Then the next day the office building that houses Elevated Rides was hit by a drunk driver.

He says because of the frequency of these experiences and the number of seemingly drunk drivers he sees on the road, he’s worried about the safety of his employees.

“Our drivers are putting their lives on the line when they know they’re out there with a bunch of other impaired drivers, you know at a large venue like that every night,” he said.

Watkins says if you are going to a concert and plan on drinking or using drugs, spring for a ride service like his. Not because he wants more business, but because he wants to save lives.

“You might think you’re safe, but you’re now putting others at risk as well,” he said.

Watkins says a ride on his bus could cost between $30 – $50 a person depending on the size of your party. If you can’t afford that or you don’t have enough people to rent a bus, he says ride-share apps or cabs are better options than driving inebriated.

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