Accidents resulting from being drunk and driving have been rampant. Ride-sharing app Uber claims that it helps to avoid these types of accidents. Several studies have mixed conclusions. Some say it is effective while others conclude that Uber does not affect the statistics.
According to its website, Uber has partnered with Mothers Against Drunk Driving in a call to an end to drunk driving. It said that the number of accidents from drunk driving will decrease because people just need to book and then wait for a ride instead of the usual late night outs when people bring their cars with them. It has also encouraged people to join them in this advocacy.
According to a study titled "New York City Drunk Driving After Uber" by Jessica Lyn Peck, the number of accidents related to drunk driving has decreased by 25-30 percent in New York City. This is since Uber started operations in the Big Apple. "A recent increase in the ease and availability of alternative rides for intoxicated passengers partially explains the steep decrease in alcohol-related collisions in New York City since 2011," the study asserts.
Another study titled "Ridesharing and Motor Vehicle Crashes in 4 US Cities: An Interrupted Time-Series Analysis" found that in Portland, Uber operations decreased car accidents relating to intoxicated people.
While this is the case for these studied, there is another study that dismisses the thought that Uber acts as a factor in decreasing the percentage of alcohol-related accidents. According to a study published in American Journal of Epidemiology titled "Uber and Metropolitan Traffic Fatalities in the United States" by Noli Brazil and David Kirk, Uber had no connection with the number of alcohol-related accidents. "Uber may be a substitute for taxis and other forms of public transportation but not a substitute for drunk driving," the study states.
In an interview with The New York Times, Brazil clarified that conclusions should not be made because there are a lot of factors to consider. Peck also said that there is a need to get more evidence but that her research seemed to show that Uber really helps in reducing the number of alcohol-related accidents.
