Posted by duijim in on August 17, 2016
A recent study has revealed that Uber’s ridesharing services have had no effect on the number of drunk fatalities within the United States. This study examined traffic fatalities that occurred in the 100 most populated metropolitan areas of the United States between 2009 to 2014.
The result of this study found that Uber ridesharing has had no effect on reducing the number of drunk driving accident rates with 121 million episodes of drunk driving still occurring each year. As a result of this most recent investigation, studies seem to authoritatively show that Uber ridesharing has no effect in metropolitan areas like Atlanta in reducing the number of drunk driving accidents.
What Is Significant About This Study?
Over there are last few years, there have been various claims that Uber ridesharing has been effective in reducing the number of drunk driving accidents. As a result, this study comes at a time when many people have heard claims that Uber ridesharing has effectively diminished the rates of drunk driving accidents throughout the United States.
Some of the reports that suggest Uber ridesharing program’s ability to combat drunk driving rates are a Temple University study showing a reduction in drunk driving fatalities from 5.6 to 3.6 between 2009 to 2014 in the California Cities in which Uber operates. Another study is that Uber reported a ten percent decrease in drunk driving arrest in Seattle after the company’s introduction into the area.
There are two primary reasons why these previous DUI studies are not as accurate as the most recent investigation. For one, neither of these previous studies was as comprehensively performed as this most recent study, which examined 100 populated metropolitan areas that use Uber ridesharing.
Second, it is very likely that there were other variables present in the previous studies besides the presence Uber ridesharing and it is likely that these other factors contributed towards a reduction in the rate of drunk driving rates.
How Has Uber Responded To This Most Recent Study?
Uber recently issued a press statement regarding this most recent drunk driving investigation. While declining to assert that the argument was incorrect, Uber instead claimed that its ridesharing program offered a safe alternative during times that individuals chose to drink and that many of Uber’s customers had claimed the ridesharing program helped them avoid driving drunk.
It should be noted that this statement is not the authoritative statement on Uber ridesharing program’s relationship to drunk driving rates but rather the most comprehensive study about the subject to be performed.
Ways To Reduce Rate Of DUI Accidents
While it remains unclear if Uber reduces the rate of drunk driving accidents, there are certain steps that motor vehicle drivers and passengers can take that have been shown to reduce the risk of drunk driving accidents, which include the following:
- Avoid Drinks With High Amounts of Alcohol. By avoiding drinks that consist of a high amount of alcohol, individuals can maintain greater control over alcohol use.
- Select A Designated Driver. When individuals decide to drink alcohol, it is a wise idea to select a designated driver who will abstain from engaging in alcohol use.
- Stop Serving Alcohol A Few Hours Before An Event Ends. By preventing alcohol use during the last few hours of an event, individuals are given some time to become sober which decreases the degree to which many motorists are intoxicated.
Contact an Atlanta DUI Lawyer
A definitive study remains to be performed regarding the effectiveness of Uber ridesharing program’s ability to reduce drunk driving rates. As a result, drunk driving accidents still occur throughout Atlanta and the surrounding area of Georgia. If you or a loved one has been involved in a DUI accident, consider retaining the legal counsel of an experienced attorney at Yeargan & Kert.