LBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - Safe Ride, Bernalillo County's program that offers bar hoppers free rides to and from home, will see a $20,000 increase in funding next year, but one of drunk driving's biggest opponents says it's a bad idea.

"I have a big problem with that," said Linda Atkinson with the DWI Resource Center. "The victims we work with and the victims that MADD works with los their jobs, lose their homes. They lose everything and there's no pot of money that helps them."

But Deputy County Manager Tom Swisstack said Safe Ride has been extremely successful. About 6,000 people each year take advantage of the program.

"It's important that the county takes a proactive approach in helping to minimize any type of injury to any citizen," said Swisstack. "The goal here is to minimize accidents and people dying."

Safe Ride is partially funded by money generated from alcohol excise taxes and from court fines paid by DWI offenders in Bernalillo County. Together, the fund totals more than $4 million.

Safe Ride sees more funding | Albuquerque, N.M. | KRQE News 13

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