Rather than raising a glass to an old Irish tune this St. Patrick’s Day, Alameda-based Berg Injury Lawyers is raising a hand to take keys from drunk drivers and offer them safe and free cab rides home.

For the fourth year running, Berg Injury Lawyers will provide the Safe and Sober Free Cab Ride Home program for people who have been drinking or who don’t feel they have a safe way to get home.

Berg Injury Lawyers will team up with Veterans Cab and Yellow Cab of Alameda to provide free transportation this St. Patrick’s Day.

The law firm’s Safe and Sober Free Cab Ride Home program will be available in the cities of Alameda, Oakland and Berkeley from 3 p.m. on Monday, March 17, through 3 a.m. on Tuesday, March 18.

To request a free cab ride home, individuals can call Yellow Cab of Alameda or Veterans Cab at (800) 281-4488 and tell them Berg Injury Lawyers is paying for their safe ride home. Cab rides are made available to area residents who otherwise might attempt to drive home after drinking. Rides are provided to an individual’s residence — not to other drinking locations.

“St. Patrick’s Day festivities tend to get kicked off earlier in the day, and some partygoers don’t notice just how much they’ve had to drink at the end of the day,” explained William Berg, founder and principal of Berg Injury Lawyers. “We want to offer those who are out celebrating safe rides home to protect not only them, but others on the road. Drunk driving is not an accident — it’s a choice and a crime. We’re offering an easy alternative.”

Launched in 2004, the Berg Injury Lawyers Safe and Sober Free Cab Ride Home program is an ongoing commitment that seeks to raise community awareness regarding the dangers of drunk driving and encourage individuals to make responsible choices by providing a safe transportation alternative during many of the traditionally high alcohol consumption holidays.

This marks the fourth year Berg Injury Lawyers has offered the law firm’s Safe and Sober Free Cab Ride Home program.

The program has been successful in reducing the number of alcohol-related deaths and injuries by providing hundreds of free cab rides.

In 2004, the program was a recipient of a Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) Alameda County community service award.