One New Jersey township's residents who have had one too many alcoholic drinks at a hot nightclub, house party, or bar drinking session can now get totally free Uber rides home. The transportation network company will provide vehicles and no-charge lifts from several drinking locations throughout the state's southern town, in an attempt to lower the number of drunk driving cases and driving under the influence (DUI) arrests.
South Jersey's Evesham Township was on the road to reach about 250 DUI arrests this year, which would have been its all-time record, according to Reuters. The town then teamed up with Uber and launched its anti-drunk driving program last month.
It has produced solid results. The township's average monthly DUI arrests dropped sharply around one-third, from 23 to eight.
Here is how it works. Evesham Township covers the cost of the program, so heavy drinkers just have to use the Uber app while at one of the 19 participating drinking establishments, anytime between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m.
Uber told Reuters in a statement that when it teamed up with Evesham's Mayor Randy Brown and Mothers against Drunk Driving (MADD) it saw a golden opportunity to use its tech to prevent drunk driver-caused road accidents such as when driving while intoxicated (DWI). It resulted in free Uber rides to lower DUI and DWI cases.
The partnership's success has produced the "BeMyDD" spin-off program sponsored by local companies and non-profit organizations, according to PC Mag. It provides tipsy or inebriated people with a driver and partner to get them and their vehicles home safely.
The process is a bit complex but effective. First, the designated driver gives the drunken person a lift home, then the driver's partner drops off the driver at his or her home.
In New Jersey a DUI violation is based on the age of the driver and the type of vehicle. Among people at least 21 years old it is defined as operating a motor vehicle while having a blood alcohol content (BAC) of at least .08 percent.
The state with the highest DUI arrest rates is Wyoming (1.17 percent). It might also benefit from a free Uber rides program.