If you drink and drive, you may never make it back home. Unfortunately, many people still get behind the wheel after having too many drinks. Things are looking up, however, as major cities are noting a decline in DUI arrests. Could ride sharing be the reason?
What Is Ride Sharing?
Whenever someone needs a ride, day or night, they can request a driver from a ride sharing company. Uber and Lyft remain the most popular, but other companies have also appeared around the country. Customers can get a driver to take them anywhere in the area from the convenience of a mobile app.
Ride sharing is especially popular with millennials who are looking for a ride home after a night out. Uber and Lyft drivers are a common sight at local nightclubs and bars. It’s never been more convenient to find a sober driver to take you home.
Statistics Don’t Lie
There seems to be a direct correlation between DUI arrests and ride sharing. From 2013-2015, the Miami-Dade police department averaged 1,500 DUI arrests per year. Once ride sharing popularity spiked in 2017, the department only reported 594 arrests, a decrease of 65 percent.
However, other cities in Florida saw a less impressive decrease. For example, Miami only had a DUI arrest decline of 31 percent during the same year.
In other parts of the country, cities are also experiencing fewer DUI incidents. Both Portland and San Antonio experienced an arrest decline of about 60 percent. Once again, this decline was noted during a period when ride sharing was readily available and increasingly popular.
Who Is Responsible for This Trend?
Mothers Against Drunk Driving, commonly referred to as MADD, believes that ride sharing companies save lives. Most of the cities studied by MADD saw a decrease in drunk driving crashes by a little over six percent after ride sharing became available.
Of course, some experts believe that there are other reasons for the decrease in DUI arrests. For instance, there is more education and awareness for young drivers as schools teach their students about the dangers of drunk driving. Some schools even participate in a program called Every 15 Minutes. This program is designed to raise awareness about the lasting, and often deadly, effects of drunk driving.
Police departments are also doing their part to make citizens more aware of the consequences of driving under the influence. Through a variety of outreach programs, many police departments have been able to successfully educate the public about the importance of having a sober driver.
Ride sharing seems to help lower DUI incidents in many cities. Whether it is the sole factor or education and awareness programs also play a role, ride sharing may help save lives by providing the public with easy access to a sober driver. Ride-sharing accidents do happen but not often. If you have been hurt in an accident, talk to a Miami law firm.
