Ride-hailing services are thriving as the general public finds such car rides increasingly beneficial for customers who may be unable to, or shouldn’t, drive themselves.
A data report recently released by the University of Texas Health Science Center suggests that ride-hailing companies, such as Uber, might have played a role in ensuring the safety of drivers and passengers by keeping drunken drivers from getting behind the wheel.
"I rather not see someone get a DUI or DWI ... I mean car services have been around for 30-plus years so it's not something of a new idea,” part-time Uber driver Julius Moldvan said.
According to the study, serious injuries resulting from motor vehicle accidents reported on Fridays and Saturdays declined by 24% as a result of the car businesses, while 40% fewer drivers under the age of 30 – the age group that is most likely to use a ride-hailing service – were involved in motor vehicle accidents causing trauma. Convictions for such accidents have also decreased, according to the Harris County official records in Texas.
Yet, a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report indicates the ongoing danger of drunken driving, revealing that an average of 28 people die each day in the U.S. While that figure has declined, reaching its lowest rate in 2019 since 1982, more than 10,000 people lost their lives to drunken driving in 2019.
A CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System report from 1993-2014 states that more than 1 million people were arrested for driving while impaired by alcohol and 111 million drivers self-reported having episodes of alcohol-impaired driving.
“You know before, in the '80s and '90s, you'd have to pick up the phone to call a car service; now you get a car service on your cell phone," Moldvan said.
In an effort to further promote safety, Uber partnered with Anheuser-Busch and Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) to launch the campaign, “Decide to Ride,” which aims to prevent drunken driving by offering discounts to those under the influence of alcohol.