For many, this Sunday means heading out to a local sports bar and enjoying the game among friends with a few brews. On the surface that sounds like a great way to enjoy the Super Bowl. But, when you stop to ponder how many folks will head out without a plan for getting home safely after imbibing in alcoholic beverages, things get a little worrisome.
A study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says 43 percent of all traffic fatalities on Super Bowl Sunday (and the early hours of the following morning) in 2012 were caused by drunk driving, compared to an average of 31 percent for the year as a whole. These are startling numbers that demand to be addressed.
Uber, the ridesharing service that utilizes a smartphone app to order a car to client locations, has rolled out a way to help. An email sent by them explains how they have helped to reduce drunk-driving crashes and made roads safer. Please read it and consider a safer option for transportation this Super Bowl Sunday.
Choice is a Powerful Thing
Ridesharing helps make cities safer. A new study we conducted with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) shows just how powerful choice can be: Since we launched uberX in California, drunk-driving crashes decreased by 60 per month for drivers under 30. That’s 1,800 crashes likely prevented over the past 2 ½ years.
When empowered with more safe, reliable and affordable transportation options like Uber, people are making better, smarter choices that are making our roads safer for everyone. Learn more on our blog.
To promote safe rides home during the weekend of the Big Game, Uber will donate $1 to MADD for every trip taken on Sunday, February 1, 2015 between 3:00 PM and 12:00 AM ET when riders enter the promo code THINKANDRIDE.
Uber and MADD will keep working to ensure a safe ride is always within reach and drunk driving crashes become a thing of the past.
