Ridesharing Showing Positive Impact Against DUIs

Rideshare applications like Uber and Lyft are gaining popularity, particularly as a way home after a night of celebratory imbibing. While some cities have had the ridesharing companies available since 2009, others only recently had access beginning in 2015. The availability of such companies may just be a reason for a decrease in DUI arrests in California as well as major cities in other states. The Mercury News reports on the story.

Ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft may be at least partially responsible for a decrease in DUI arrests in major cities in California and in other states.

San Diego has seen arrests drop by 32%, San Jose 28%, Sacramento 26%, and by 14% in both San Francisco and Los Angeles. These drops have taken place in the two years following the availability of the ride-sharing services.

A drop in DUI arrests did not see a corresponding drop in fatalities where a DUI was involved, which rose slightly in San Francisco. Statewide fatalities were up 16.3 percent between 2015 and 2016.

Studies in large cities show that as many as 1 in every 3 people will open a rride-sharingapp to get a ride home after a night of drinking.

California cities are not the only ones seeing drops in DUI arrests. Las Vegas, a city known for partying and drinking, saw drunk driving arrests drop 37% between 201 and 2016.

Since the ride-sharing services became available, Seattle, Denver, Chicago, and Philadelphia have also reported fewer DUI arrests.

 

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