Ridesharing is an innovative service that creates earning opportunities for thousands of entrepreneurial workers—including women—who don’t want traditional schedules and enjoy being their own bosses.
But a new study shows ridesharing apps also make our streets safer by reducing drunk driving. State and city officials (ahem, California + Austin) tempted to bow to union pressure and drive ride-sharing out of their cities should take note.
The study published last week in the Journal of American Medical Association found rideshare services—specifically in this study, Uber—helped to reduce DUIs and serious injuries from motor vehicle crashes.
The independent, peer-reviewed research out of the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth), took place between 2007-2019 and analyzed DUI arrests and serious motor vehicle traumas before and after Uber entered the city.
Researchers found:
- After Uber entered Houston in 2014, motor vehicle collision traumas decreased by 23.8% on Friday and Saturday nights for all ages and 38.9% for individuals under 30 years old.
- DUI arrests decreased across the board, with the greatest reduction on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.
- Impaired driving arrests declined overall in Houston’s city center, where there was higher Uber utilization than in the suburbs.
Every day, 28 people in the United States lose their lives to drunk drivers, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Since 2015, Uber has partnered with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) on campaigns to help eliminate drunk driving. In 2021, the tech giant also plans to partner with the Governors Highway Safety Association to provide grants and ride credits to support local on-the-ground efforts to reduce impaired driving.
Uber and MADD are joining with other partners for a roundtable on June 21; you can register virtually here.